Harry Potter and the Fifth House
by ChirpChirp1827
Summary: Tigerlily can mean bravery, wits, kindness, and stubbornness all in one. But for seven Hogwarts students, being sorted into this hidden house doesn't mean any of that. It means being accepted for who you are and accepting yourself, it means finding out that blood and family aren't always the same. Tigerlily means brotherhood and love.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini had been friends since they were children. Together they had grown up with the knowledge that anything other than Slytherin was unacceptable.

Ronald Weasley feared not being a Gryffindor. Red and Gold had littered the Weasley household though scarfs thrown over seats, pins scattered on the ground waiting to be stepped on, and crests on robes going through the wash every vacation. No matter how many times his parents assured him they would be proud of him no matter what, he knew they wanted him to a Gryffindor.

Neville Longbottom lived everyday with the fear of not being a wizard. His parents, the bravest people he knew, had been wizards and he wanted that. He wanted to make them proud even if they didn't know who he was. But no matter what the rest of his family did, they tried scaring him and yelling at him and god one cousin had even tried to enchant his powers into being, his powers weren't manifesting and that scared him when he was eight.

Ever since beginning her reading on Hogwarts, Hermione Granger had wanted to be a Ravenclaw. She had thought she would be one - all of the books depicted them as the thinkers and she was definitely a thinker. But, she mused sometimes; her thinking often led her to doing which she knew was definitely a Gryffindor trait. And then there were times when, locked alone in her bedroom staring the things she wouldn't see until next summer, she was just glad she was able to be in any house.

Harry Potter was just a normal boy for the first ten years of his life. But once he found out who he was, what he was, all he wanted was to be like his parents who had risked their lives for him. For the whole wizarding world. He wanted to be a Gryffindor like them.


	2. Chapter 1: Muggleborns, Halfbloods, and

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter One: Muggleborns, Half-bloods, and Pure-bloods - no one is safe from the Sorting Hat. **

_Hermione Granger_

Hermione took everything in as McGonagall called student after student to the stool and set the hat on their head. She took in the long tables filled with students and the night sky overhead. It all seemed so magical.

"Hermione Granger," McGonagall read from the scroll. She felt her legs shake as she walked up the steps. Placing herself on the stool her knuckles turned white as she gripped the edge.

'Please don't tell me I'm not a witch; please don't tell me Im not a witch...'

_Calm down child_, a voice soothed in her mind. Hermione's eyes widened, she'd known the hat could talk but it was still different then she'd imagined. _You have magic, strong magic._

She hesitated before thinking, 'Um...thank you sir.'

_You're smart,_ the hat drawled with amusement. _Very smart and you use your brains to do what's right. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor would suit you. Maybe even Hufflepuff..._

A long moment passed and Hermione's heart raced. Finally the voice shouted, and not in her head this time, "Tigerlily!"

Instantly the great hall roared with noise and even McGonagall gasped. Hermione glanced around nervously, "W-What's that? I haven't read about that!"

"Quiet!" Dumbledore roared as he stood up at the table. The students chatter fell to hushed whispers. The wizard's voice softened as he addressed her, "Ms. Granger if you would please take the door to the left and wait for me in the room beyond. I will come explain after the sorting."

Shaking more than she had been before, Hermione made her way in the intended direction. This was definitely not what she had been expecting.

_Neville Longbottom_

By the time they reached Neville's name on the list most people had stopped whispering about the girl – Hermione he thought her name was. As he made his way to the stool, he thought about his parents and how they must have felt. He wondered what they thought as they walked up these stairs. The hat was placed on his head as he wound his fingers around each other.

_Ah... I remember your parent's boy_, the hat said and Neville's heart raced. It was about to tell him he didn't live up to them wasn't it? _You remind me of your mother the most. She was a very brave woman, but that's not to say your dad wasn't as well. I could tell they would end up together when I saw their minds, where she lacked talent he had it. _

Neville's eyes brightened, "Then I'm a Gryf-"

"Tigerlily!" the hat cut through.

Neville froze on the seat, not registering anything going on around him. He couldn't even feel the hands that led him to the dimly lit room Hermione was in. He was looking at her, sitting on a velvety red couch, when his senses finally came back to him.

She took one look at him before standing up, her hair bouncing with her, and grabbing his hand. She rubbed a thumb across the top of his hand in a calm manner, "Come sit. I remember how scared I was when it happened to me."

He collapsed, as opposed to calmly sitting, onto the couch she had been on moments earlier. As she drew him to her, he muttered, "All I wanted was to be like my parents." He felt tears prickle at his eyes.

_Draco Malfoy _

"This is ridiculous," Draco declared to Blaise, the only one of his friends remaining unsorted. "What is this stupid Tigerlily thing anyway?"

Blaise made a thoughtful hum before saying, "I don't know for sure, but one of my mom's ex-husbands once told me something about a fifth house at Hogwarts. He didn't say much about it, only that people sorted into it were different then the people in the other houses. He told me the most people that have ever been sorted into it at one time was twenty and rarely more than one is sorted in at the same time. Of course, mother divorced him soon after so I didn't get to hear much more."

"Malfoy, Draco," McGonagall called.

He flashed Blaise a smile, "Slytherin is still the best." Confident smile on his face, Malfoy strolled up the stairs and took a seat on the stool. The hat fell down, covering his blonde hair and his eyes almost disappeared under it as well.

_A Malfoy huh? _the hat mused. Draco was about to say something when the hat spoke again, _But your different than the others. There's potential for more than evil inside you, potential to be a great man as well as a great wizard. _

'I want to be great,' Draco thought with a smile. 'I want to be great like my father and his before him.'

_But that isn't the greatness you could have. If you were to side with them, boy, you will never be the man you could be because you'll always be a closed mind, _the hat told him. _Do you still wish to follow in their steps?_

Draco hesitated before breathing out loud, "No."

_Then I will make sure you are not. _

"Tigerlily!"

"This is amazing," he heard someone at the teachers table say as he passed them to join the two others in the room. "No one has been in the Tigerlily house in millenniums and now three in one night?"

Someone else added, "And still half a list to go…"

_Harry Potter_

As Harry's name was called there was another wave of conversation through the Great Hall. With the sudden acceptance of people into, what he thought was at least, a new house Harry couldn't believe people would still talk about him. Compared to that, he was nothing.

_Well, well, well- what have we here _Harry jolted at the revelation that the hat was talking to him. _Calm yourself child. You could flourish anywhere. But you want to prove yourself, Slytherian would be an excellent place for you to do that. _

Harry remembered that Draco Malfoy boy who had been sorted into Tigerlily earlier, "Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin."

_No? Well then it'd better be… "_Tigerlily!"

"Oh…" he muttered as McGonagall lifted the hat. "Well I didn't mean for you to do that either." He followed the line McGonagall's finger made towards the door the others had disappeared into.

When he reached the room at the end of the hallway he found Hermione and Neville on the couch, the males head cradled close to her chest with tears on his cheeks. She was rubbing circles on his back with a strange look on her face. The other boy, Draco, was sitting in a corner staring at the wall in front of him.

Not wanting to interrupt whatever they were thinking about, it was clear on both of their faces that it was important, he settled into one of the armchairs and let his own feelings take over as he hugged his knees.

_Ronald Weasley _

_Ah another Weasley, _the hat said with a resigned sigh as it was sat on his head. _I know just where you belong. _

"Gryff-" it stopped just as Ron was about to breathe a sigh of relief because it seemed at least something was normal today. _My, my…what's this? There's something different about you boy. Different in a way your siblings weren't. Very interesting…_

Ron hurriedly exclaimed, 'Not interesting! Not interesting! I'm just a normal boy, just like all my brothers! Just put me in Gryffindor!'

_Ah but Gryffindor isn't the best fit for you. _

'No it is. I assure you, Mr. Sorting Hat, Gryffindor is the best place for a ginger.'

_You Weasley's never fail to give em a headache, _the hat complained. _I don't understand why you're arguing with me. I obviously know how to do my job better than you do. _

'No you bloody well don't,' Ron argued as his eyes narrowed into a glare. 'If you did you would put me in Gry-'

"Tigerlily!"

"Mother fucking hat!" Ron screeched as he stormed away, throwing the hat at McGonagall without meeting her eyes. He couldn't, however, miss the look his brothers were sending him and he didn't like it at all.

_Blaise Zabini_

By the time Blaise was called up, the last first year standing, not many of the people in the Great Hall seemed to be paying attention to the sorting anymore. Most of them had resigned themselves to whispering gossip with their friends or telling tales of their summer adventures.

"Well then, let's get this over with," Blaise drawled as he sat on the stool. "Everyone's getting hungry after all." McGonagall gave him a weak smile as he dropped the hat on his head and stepped away.

_Well you certainly took your time getting up here didn't you?_

Blaise smiled weakly, 'Not to rush you or anything, but can you just put me and Slytherin already? I could seriously use some food.'

_Slytherin, huh? Well I happen to think you don't belong there._

'What?' Blaise thought. 'That can't happen. Just because my no good father was a Ravenclaw does not mean I should be-'

_I didn't mean Ravenclaw either. _

'Oh Merlin's beard, before you do this,' Blaise bite, 'just know that I could beat everyone at that Hufflepuff table to a pulp and that my mother would disown me for being a Gryffindor!'

"Tigerlily!" shouted the hat.

Blaise blinked. 'How am I supposed to explain that to mother you stupid hat!?'

_That not my job. _Then he was plucked off Blaise's head and he found himself leading Dumbledore and McGonagall through the door the others had gone through.

(-)

Dumbledore cleared his throat as he entered the room, snapping the groups attention to him. Draco didn't say anything as Blaise took a padded stool next to him.

"I believe there might be some questions you lot have for me?" Dumbledore declared.

"What is Tigerlily?" Hermione asked immediately. "Why haven't I read about it in any of the wizarding books Professor McGonagall loaned me when she told my family about my powers?"

"Is it too late to be sorted back into Gryffindor?" Ron followed with a hopeful shimmer in his eyes.

There was a beat of silence before Blaise added, "Are we ever going to eat? I demand a last meal before I have to tell my mother about this."

As if on cue with Blaise's statement, house elves came into the room with plates of food and goblets for each one of them which they set on trays that seemed to pop out of nowhere. Each of them began to devour the food, realizing just how hungry they were now that it was in front of them, as Dumbledore began his explanation.

"Tigerlily is the fifth house of Hogwarts," he declared. "It was founded by Lilith Tigerlily who valued certain traits that each of the others founders believed in as well as having a strong sense of the potential each wizard had. No one has been sorted into it in many millenniums, Ms. Granger, so people stopped writing about it. Now days it is seen as nothing more than a myth by people out of the know."

Draco took a bit out of a leg of chicken before asking, "Then how does this whole thing work?"

"The same way the other houses work," McGonagall declared. "We'll find someone to be your head of house and get a table set up for you in the Great Hall right away, we found it was just taking up space before now. Once you finish eating we'll show you to your dormitory. Ms. Granger you'll have the room to yourself so I ask that you don't use that to do anything you shouldn't.

"Of course not professor," Hermione stated firmly. "I wouldn't think of it."

Ron sighed as he looked at the others in the room, noticing how they were slowly getting use to the idea, "So getting sorted back into Gryffindor really isn't an option now is it?"

"No Mr. Weasley," McGonagall declared with a tight smile as she and Dumbledore made to leave the room and join the other teachers. "It is not an option anymore. It never was."

(-)

A fair amount of time later, the group found themselves alone in their new common room. There was silence as they took in the orange and white theme the room reverberated with and the large bulletin board sitting in a corner with different colored chalks sitting in the tray attached. It was obviously a new addition since the board itself was still unmarked and the chalks still full.

Ron was the first to break the silence, "So, wizard's chest anyone?"

"No um…" Neville glanced around nervously. "I think I'm just going to go to bed. It's been a long night."

Hermione made to follow him in the direction of the two doors leading to their rooms, "I think that sounds like a plan. This has all been a bit much for me." Wordlessly, Blaise and Draco left after Neville as well.

Harry noticed the way Ron sighed and seemed to resign himself to going to sleep as well.

"U-Um…" he spoke slowly, capturing the red heads attention. "If you don't mind teaching me the rules I'd be happy to play with you."

Ron grinned, "Really? Well come on then."

**E/n: **Somehow Draco ended up having the longest section in the sorting, even though I had originally intended for it to be maybe Ron. But yeah, Ron decided he wanted to rage at the hat instead so I let him. Blaise also made me laugh when I was writing his.

I tried to put a bit of information into there without giving to much away. Now, the characters in this will probably be a bit ooc – especially Draco and Blaise – since the whole situation will change their views on certain things. Anyway, bonding between them next chapter since they all got a bit overwhelmed by fate.

Haha.


	3. Chapter 2: Boys have Daddy issues

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter Two: The Boys have Daddy (and mommy) issues. **

Hermione was sitting in the library with a large book in front of her when Neville appeared. She glanced at him. "Yes, Neville?"

He bit his lip. "About last night... um... thank you. It must have been awkward for you to comfort someone you've never even met while he had a break down."

"It's fine," she replied with a small smile. "You were upset. I can understand why in a way. Before," she waved a hand around, "before this I wanted to be a dentist like my parents."

"You don't now?" he asked.

Hermione gave him a small smile, "I'm not sure honestly. Now there's a whole new world of careers to explore."

"Oh, your parents are muggles then?" Neville asked. She hummed in response. "So is that why you're in here even though classes don't start until next week? To learn more about the wizarding world?"

Hermione shook her head, "No, Professor McGonagall gave me some reading material about the Houses but none of them said anything about Tigerlily. I'm trying to find something, anything, out."

There was silence for a while as she skimmed through the pages of the book before he stood up, "Maybe some breakfast will help. Let's go get some, okay?"

(-)

When Blaise woke up the next morning it was to the sound of something shattering. Rubbing sleepily at his eyes, he sat up in his bad. Ron was sitting on the edge of his own bed with his head in his hands and a broken picture frame on the floor in front of him.

Blaise rubbed at his neck, "Where did the others go?"

Ron took a sharp breath. "Breakfast. They went to get breakfast."

"You didn't go with them?" questioned Blaise as he slipped off his bed. Crouching down he started shifting through his trunk for clothes.

"No. I didn't want to..." he shook his head and straightened. "It's none of your business."

Blaise shrugged, "No but even if you're a blood traitor like everyone says, you still need to eat." Pulling his shirt over his head he left for the Great Hall. "Everything changes now, Weasley. We might as well put our big boy pants on and deal with it. I'll bring you something if I don't see you."

(-)

"Hey," Draco greeted as Blaise plopped into the spot next to him at the nearly empty table. Across from the two of them sat Harry, Neville, and Hermione as Neville attempted to answer Harry's questions about the wizarding world and Hermione flipped through a rather large book. "Finally decided to wake up then?"

"Oh shut up," Blaise said, bumping his shoulder into Draco's as he reached for a bagel from the trey in the center of the table. As he was smoothing it in cream cheese, Ron plopped into the seat next to Hermione. "Have you written your parents yet?"

Draco stopped. He took a deep breath before taking a swig of his pumpkin juice. "No," he told Blaise. "Have you? Your mother must have sent you a letter by now."

"She has," Blaise replied before biting into his breakfast. "I sent her one back, told her what happened. I played it up like this was a great thing."

"Not to eavesdrop," Hermione cut in, snapping both boys attention to her.

Draco sneered, "Clearly you did anyway."

Hermione flushed before clearing her throat, "As I was saying, from the small bit of information I've managed to gather it seems most people from Tigerlily have turned out to be great wizards."

"I'm going to have to tell my mother that," Blaise laughed. "It might make things just a bit better. I like you, you get shit done, oh. Uh… what was your name again? I didn't catch it last night."

"Hermione Granger," she replied, shaking the

Neville nudged her gently, "Did you manage to find anything else out Hermione?"

"Oh um, no," she told him with a shake of her head. She flipped the book closed and focused on the breakfast in front of her.

Blaise hummed across from them, "Granger, eh? I don't think I've ever heard of them before. Your family must not be pureblood?"

Hermione took a bite of her food. "My parents aren't wizards."

Both Blaise and Draco froze. Voices whispered in their heads - dirty, filthy blood, thieves, _mudblood. _"I think I'm going to be sick," Draco spat before running out of the room. Blaise followed almost immediately.

Harry blinked. "What just happened?"

(-)

Ron glanced around as he and Harry walked around the school. After breakfast they had mutually agreed that going back to their dorm where Blaise and Draco had retreated was probably not the best idea and had set about wondering around the castle.

"This is amazing," Harry said as he looked at the moving portraits and gripped a railing as the stair case moved.

"I guess," Ron answered with a shrug. "It's a magic school though. What did you expect?"

He breathed out, "I don't know. But it definitely wasn't this." After a moment he turned to Ron again, "What happened earlier? Hermione looked upset and none of you would explain to me."

"Oh." Ron bit his lip. "Well um…"

"Boys," a soft voice commanded their attention, they turned to find a women Harry recognized as one of the teachers standing near them, "what are you doing? Shouldn't you be in your common room?"

"Oh, Professor Burbage," Ron interrupted as Harry went to open his mouth, "there was an accident during breakfast so we decided to leave Zabini and Malfoy alone for a while."

A hand settled over her mouth. "Oh dear. What happened? Maybe I can help you."

Light flooded into Ron's eyes and he drawled, "Well actually…."

(-)

Draco was sprawled out on his bed, face down, with Blaise sprawled horizontally across his back when Neville walked into their room. Without looking, Draco said, "We really don't want you in here right now."

"It's um…" Neville shifted. "I want to talk to you guys."

"We really don't-"

He cut Blaise off, "You don't have to talk. Just listen if it suits you." He hesitated. "I know your parents look down on our families, but Ron and I are purebloods too, you know? Just because you talk to her or hang out with her doesn't mean you have to marry Hermione. I mean-"

"It's not that easy," Draco hissed. "Even if you take the disappointment and the rage I would face from my family for associating with Hermi - the mudblood there's still the fact that it's been drilled into me that they are filthy and disgusting. That mudblood's are a dirt stain on the white robes of the wizarding world."

Blaise cracked his knuckles absently. "You can't just go against your social programming like that."

"Why not?" questioned Ron as he and Harry appeared in the doorway. "I mean people change the way they act all the time right? Criminals and the like?"

"We're not criminals."

"No, your not," Ron agreed with a nod. "But you might become criminals if you stay like this." He twisted. "I'm going to teach Harry and Hermione how to play Gobstones and maybe some more Wizards chess. She says she plays muggle chess with her father. Do you want to play with us, Neville?"

"O-Oh, sure." Neville scurried across the room and sifted through his trunk, producing a packet of yellow and black marbles. Ron followed his lead. He went to grab a bag sitting on his side table, a red velvet one with gold strings, only to stop and rummage around his own trunk for a purple bag.

As they were leaving, Harry turned back around, "You guys can join us later if you want."

**E/n: **I didn't include it, but Harry and Ron had a conversation with Charity (their muggle studies teacher) about the pressure put on Blaise and Malfoy by their parents and she helped clear up for Harry what happened at breakfast. Headcanonly, Ron and Harry decided to try and cheer Hermione up after that.

Their relationship is progressing a lot faster in this fic, maybe a little too fast? Do you want me to slow it down?, because they really are ALL they have now. And the marble switch thing, Ron is still going to struggle with NOT being a Gryffindor but I think, more so than Blaise and Draco whose parents have made any other house seem basically filthy, he'll have an easier time adjusting.

Also: what do you guys think of my characterization of Blaise and Draco? It's bound to be off, because god their eleven and this is not something any eleven year old should have to deal with, but I hope it's still standable?

Um…was there something else I needed to talk about? Don't remember if so…. Not a lot of Hermione in this one, sorry. Mostly the boys.

_Next Chapter: Mrs. Zabini responses to Blaise's letter and Fred and George trap their baby bro. _


	4. Chapter 3: Hermione is a bit like a Mom

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 3: Hermione is a Bit like a Mother**

Harry was vaguely, and pleasantly, surprised when Blaise and Draco showed up. Ron, however, was not and quickly declared that Hermione was shit at wizards chess so Blaise should teach her Gobstones while he played with Harry.

Blaise did. He laughed and slung an arm over her shoulder when he won.

(-)

Conversation flowed easily between the group the next morning, mixing with the chatter of the other tables. One minute Draco would be talking to Neville and the next he'd find himself laughing as he flung a piece of bread at Ron for making fun of Hermione's hair.

It felt nice. He honestly couldn't remember a time when anything with his parents or his friends, were they still his friends now?, had felt this innocent and easy.

"Wait, wait," Ron was saying when Draco snapped from his thoughts, "classes start on Monday right?"

"Yeah," Blaise answered around a mouth full of chocolate croissant. "We've got Charms, Transfiguration, History of Magic, and Potions." The conversation had begun to drift into what the four familiar with the wizarding world knew of each subject and the teachers who taught them when a rush of hoots and wind cut in.

When it was over Neville and Blaise both sat with envelopes in their hands. As Neville was tearing into his, Draco whispered, "Is it…?"

"Yeah," Blaise gave a shaky nod. He pushed up. "I'm going to open this somewhere else."

Draco watched him for a moment before nodding. "Yeah okay. Tell me what it says, okay?"

Blaise just hummed as he left, neither agreeing or disagreeing with the request. After a moment, Draco turned away from his back and joined the conversation Neville and Harry were having about wizard and muggle music.

(-)

Blaise sat on the steps leading to the Tigerlily common room with the knowledge that he'd be left alone for a while. His right hand shook as he used the nails on his left to cut the envelope open. He struggled with it for a moment before finally managing to get the letter open.

_I'll talk to Dumbledore about this._

_Mommy will take care of everything, baby. _

_Love always, your darling mother. _

_PS: this winter I'd like you to meet your new stepfather. _

His hands tightened on the letter before a dry chuckle left his lips. What was wrong with his mother? She'd managed to make something that should have been about him about her and her new husband.

He felt something prickle at his eyes as it flooded through his mind that god; his mom was going to be a bitch about this wasn't she? There would be a tantrum and half a broken headmasters office by the time she finally got it through her head that no, he couldn't switch houses no matter how hard she tried to make it happen.

He heard her footsteps before Hermione actually appeared in his blurring vision. She took one look at him before saying, "The others aren't coming up anytime soon," and plopping down next to him. Even though she didn't touch him or even say anything else, Blaise felt comforted as the tears began to really flow.

(-)

"Let's go this way," Ron demanded when he noticed where the staircases led. Ron and Harry had decided to go wondering around the castle again since school would be starting soon and Neville had joined them.

Harry shook his head, "We went that way last night, remember? Let's go this way." Before Ron could protest, the two dark haired boys were already running up the stairs. He sighed and allowed himself to think that maybe, just maybe, everything his brothers had told him that summer about what portraits to look at so as not to get lost going to the Gryffindor common room was a joke.

When they rounded another staircase to see twin red heads coming towards them Ron froze and thought, _god damn it _I shouldn't have asked Charlie.

(-)

"I wanted to help them, Sev," Charity Burbage declared, her hands clutching a tea cup, "not because he was Harry Potter but because they both looked so confused and god their only _eleven. _I tried my best to explain it to Harry but it's something I find unfathomable."

Severus Snape hummed as he watched his fellow Professor fidget in her chair, "You know their still looking for a Head of House for them?"

Charity nodded and twirled a finger around her tea cup, "I thought you might step up. Draco is your godson, right?"

"I'm already Head of Slytherin," Snape replied. "If you really want to help them, Charity, you might consider offering?"

"O-oh," her face flushed a bright red, "but I wasn't…I mean I was a Hufflepuff!"

"There's no one still alive that was in Tigerlily," Snape responded with a pointed look. "It's just an idea." He tried to force his lips into something resembling a smile. "You're a very nice person. I'm sure you could help them, all of them, with the things they're going through."

Charity gave a tiny laugh, "You know sometimes the others ask me why I bother to hang out with you, then you go and say something like that."

Before Snape could ask what was so bad with what he had said, there was a sharp knock on his door. "Come in," he called expecting it to be Dumbledore or one of the other teachers and found himself vaguely shocked when he found it was Draco.

Draco shifted, standing awkwardly in the doorway, before asking, "Can I uh…can we talk?" His eyes drifted to Charity.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, standing up as she realized why. "Oh that's fine." She reached over giving Snape a hug that made him feel incredibly awkward, as she always did because she was so touchy. "I'll see you later, Severus." She clapped Draco on the back before continuing out the door.

Once she was gone, Draco tentatively made his way over to the chair she had vacated and settled into it. Snape watched him for a minute. Then he asked, "So what is it, Draco?"

"It's not about me actually," he declared, his hands clenched into fists on his lap. "I wanted to talk to you about Blaise." Snape watched as a look flashed across his godsons face. "He doesn't have a dad and his moms never around and well he just needs an adult to tell him that it's okay not to be Slytherin I think."

"And you?" Snape raised an eyebrow. "What do you need, Draco? I doubt you came here just to ask me to help Blaise."

Draco bit his lip, "I don't…I mean I think my mom will always love me."

"She will," Snape assured him. "But that's not what you're worried about is it?"

(-)

"Well hello there boys," George declared with a large grin on his face as he slid past Harry and Neville. His arm slipped around Ron's shoulders.

Fred smiled at them. "Do you mind if we steal him for a little bit? We've got some family things to talk about."

Harry and Neville exchanged a look before Harry shrugged. "Okay," he agreed. He grabbed Neville's wrist, "We're going to go somewhere else then…" Looking as though they felt incredibly awkward, the duo rushed away. Once they had disappeared, George's arm fell down and Fred moved closer to them.

"You haven't sent mom a letter like you promised her you would," Fred deadpanned.

"She's really worried about you."

Ron rubbed at his arms, hugging himself self-consciously, before saying, "I'll send her a letter okay? Tell her I'm not dead or whatever."

He went to turn away, but found George's hand gripping his arm. He turned to find his older brothers both scowling at him. George's grip loosened but he didn't let go as he said, "We've been here for a week and this is the first time we've run into each other."

"Your avoiding us," Fred explained as though it wasn't obvious.. "Why are you avoiding us, Ron?"

"It's nothing," Ron declared, wishing he was strong enough to pull out of George's grip.

"You're lying," George answered. He let his hand fall. "Ron if this is about you not being in Gryffindor-"

"We did mean it when we said we didn't care which house you were in," Fred finished.

Their next words were in unison, "You're still our stupid and incredibly awkward little brother."

Ron looked at the floor, "I just…I'm going to go find Neville and Harry before they get too far away." He ran up the steps Neville and Harry had taken without waiting for his brothers to say anything else.

He was glad they didn't try to stop him. 

**E/n: **Charity/Snape is probably not going to go anywhere other then friendship. I'm not sure yet though. Maybe. I'm debating when and even if I'm going to follow canon of the first book and tweak it into something fitting this story? What do you guys think on either of those points?

I feel like Blaise is getting all the attention in the first few chapters. Which characters do you guys want to see a bit of emphasize on in the coming ones? There is still a lot to do with Blaise though, so don't worry about me dropping it here. It may just take a backburner for a while.

_Next time: School has finally started and Hermione's the only one who is really feeling it. _


	5. Chapter 4: Draco is Nosy but Good

**Harry Potter and The Fifth House **

**Chapter 4: Draco is nosy but well intentioned. **

Neville's books thumped against the table with a loud thump and all heads turned towards him. The group of first years had sprawled across the common room with their textbooks doing their homework.

Hermione had forced Ron to take the wizarding chess things upstairs and had pulled her hair up before taking over the small table in the corner. Her own essays kept getting shoved aside as Harry or Ron, and occasionally Blaise, asked her to look over their things.

Ron and Harry had, for the most part, taken over the large couch. Both boys laid stomach down with their feet in the others face and a textbook being used as hard surface in front of them while the rest sat in a stack on the floor next to them. Draco and Blaise sat on opposite ends of the table inbetween the fireplace and couch with their things taking up a good chunk of each side.

"I don't get it," Neville exclaimed as he plopped down onto the floor near the unlit fireplace. "Even when I get extra help from the teachers I can't figure out how to do the spells. My hands shake and the words don't come out right."

"What about Herbology?" questioned Blaise. His cheek was in his hand as he watched Neville pull his potions book from the stack. Snape was, no doubt, the reason for this rant considering Neville had just come from an extra lesson with the potions master.

Ron gave the smallest of nods as he flipped the page in his transfiguration book. "Not even the Hufflepuffs are as good with plants as you."

"That's different," Neville argued. "There's rarely ever any magic involved when I take care of the plants. I just give them a little bit of my love." He paused and then, "My grandmother was a bit disappointed when my magic came and instead of blowing things up, I was accidently growing plants six times their normal size."

"You shouldn't write yourself off so quickly," Hermione said, her voice full of disapprovement. "Without people like you, Neville, there wouldn't be ingredients to make some of the potions that save lives."

"Anyone can grow plants," Neville objected.

Draco cut in smoothly, "Snape once told me a potion worked better when the ingredients were fresher and happier. I didn't quite get what he meant until seeing the way you worked with them. It's not-" his voice caught. He cleared his throat before starting again, "Plants aren't something Slytherins generally pay much attention too."

There was a tense silence for a moment filled only with the scratching of quills and flipping of pages instead of the chatter that had been in the room before. After a moment, Draco stood up with his paper for Transfiguration in his hands. All of their eyes followed him as he walked over to Hermione. He shifted in front of her before holding it out and asked quietly, "It's not my best subject…"

She smiled as she took it from his hands, "I'll look over it."

(-)

Blaise tapped his pencil against the book in front of him. Beside him, he could feel Neville's nerves rolling off him in waves as he tried to scribble down everything Snape said about the potion they would be working on during their next lesson.

The bell rung overhead and there was a scramble to get out of the classroom before the rest of the students, a mixture of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindor's. Since there were only six of them the Tigerlily's had been thrown in with the other houses for their lessons. They kept to themselves regardless considering some of them still felt the sting of not being in the houses they had wanted.

"Mr. Zabini," Snape's voice cut through the noise, "if you could stay a minute. I'd like to talk to you about something."

Neville looked back at Blaise nervously, the rest of the group already lingering outside the door. Blaise sent him a light smile, "Go ahead. I know he makes you nervous." When Neville still hesitated, he gave the boy a light shove with his hand before making his way towards the potions master. Only a moment later he heard footsteps before the door closed with a strangely hollow sound.

Snape stood in front of one of the tables in the front of the room and motioned for Blaise to sit down. He kept his facial features in a serene smile as he lowered into one of the seats, crossing his ankles over each other. "What's going on?" he questioned.

"It's been…implied," Snape appeared to be choosing his words carefully as he spoke, "by someone recently that you may not have the most stable male influences in your life."

"Well obviously," Blaise drawled as he tilted the chair back onto two feet. "It's hard to get attached when your mother keeps killing your stepfathers, you know?"

Something like a wince crossed Snape's face before he cleared his throat, "Yeah well. I just wanted you to know that just because you didn't end up in my house like we anticipated does not mean you can't come to me if you need something, especially while we're still searching for a Head of House for you guys." There was a brief pause. "I'll write you a pass. Charms correct?"

Blaise nodded and waited until a sheet of paper was thrust into his hand. He made it all the way to the door before turning around. "Oh, by the way Professor?"

"Yes?" Snape responded as he looked up from a stack of essays he had dug out of a drawer.

"Will you tell Draco to mind is own business if he comes to you about me again?"

There was the lightest of chuckles before the man answered, "Yes, but that doesn't mean the offer doesn't stand."

A smile was on Blaise's lips as he walked out of the room. "I know."

(-)

The Tigerlily common room was dark with night as Hermione crept down the stairs. She hadn't bothered throwing anything over her pajama's, a silky blue tank top covered in dancing monkeys and matching shorts, since she had heard all of the boys go to sleep. So when she finally did reach the bottom of the stairs, she was surprised to find the fire still flickering in front of the couch.

She blinked several times before approaching it.

When she found Neville with his head face first in a textbook, his wand clutched loosely in one hand and a picture of people she assumed to be his parents smiling and waving up at him in the other, Hermione felt fondness bubble inside of her.

She rushed up the stairs and grabbed one of the spare blankets from the unused beds. Returning back to the common room, she laid it over Neville's shoulders and resisted the urge to press a kiss to his head before putting out the fire. Her reason for coming downstairs, to get away from the loneliness of her room, completely forgotten as she walked back up.

(-)

As Hermione was creeping back up to her room, McGonagall was scolding Charity Burbage, "I really hope you have a good reason for wanting to wake the headmaster up at such an ungodly hour." Charity didn't say anything as she followed the Transfigurations professor. When they reached the office, McGonagall commanded, "Wait here," before disappearing into another door in the office.

It takes a few minutes but eventually both of them emerged from the door. Dumbledore, despite the ungodly hour of the morning and state of his hair, gave Charity a large smile. His voice was unnaturally cheery as he said, "Charity, my dear, how can I help you?"

Charity took a deep breath and rushed out, "I want to be Head of Tigerlily House."

**E/n: **If you haven't worked this out for yourselves yet, in the way McGonagall/Snape/Dumbledore are important to the original series, Snape and Charity are important to mine.

They're going to be slow going and no popping up for god only knows how long, but the pairings for this are going to be Ron/Hermione (haven't even written them alone yet), Draco/Harry (have I even written about HARRY yet? JFC), and Neville/Blaise (which is a whole new level of not-even-started-yet).

I think that after the next chapter, which will deal a lot with the Charity/Student, Snape/student relationships, there will probably be a focus on Harry/Hermione (individually and their relationships) in the same way the first few have been on Blaise because I think that, with the few minor time skips Im sure you've noted, the real reality of the wizarding world will be setting in for them.

I'm still not sure how Voldemort is going to be worked into this stupid story, but I'm considering some very nice plotlines for Neville as suggested by you guys and I'm starting to map some of the others out using paint xD. So yeah, I love hearing (and possibly giving?) what you guys think/want so don't be afraid to tell me (not that many of you are. You're pretty vocal and I love that.)

Do you guys hate these little tangents? I like giving you guys options for what you want though, since this story is as much for you as it is for me. Yeah okay, shutting up now.

_Next time: Charity learns that Head of House is just a front for Teenage Angst counselors and a few more people join the Snape Club._


	6. Chapter 5: The Adults Share the Love

**Harry Potter and The Fifth House**

**Chapter 5: The Adults Share the Love**

The next morning was a Saturday.

Draco snuck to the Great Hall before any of the other students were awake and brought the whole group back their favorites has had become a sort of tradition for them. The meal was full of drifting conversations and necks cracking as heads whipped from one person to another and then back again.

"Five!" exclaimed Ron, hands thrown up in the air as he used the table to push himself. His back hit the floor with a painless thump. "You've had five step-fathers and I've never even seen my parents get in a fight!"

"That's not exactly a bad thing," Draco mused a he dunked a piece of bread into his eggs. "I mean my parents fight all the time. It makes you wonder sometimes if you're the reason, you know? Like was it this bad before they had you?"

Hermione sucked in a breath. "Draco I'm sure that's not-" She didn't get to finish her sentence before the door swung open and the group's heads swiveled around to see Snape standing in the doorway with Professor Burbage standing nervously behind him.

"What's going on?" asked Harry cautiously, watching as the duo came deeper into the common room. Snape hadn't exactly been nice to him in the few weeks since school had started so it was only natural he was apprehensive.

Snape looked back at Professor Burbage, an eyebrow rising in a silent 'do-you-want-to-tell-them-or-should-I' gesture. She stepped out from besides her and gave them a nervous smile. Her hands gripped at her arms as she informed, "I'm your new Head of House."

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, scrambling off the floor. She wiped her sticky fingers on her burnt orange shorts, having not planned on leaving their common room that day she had put on her casual clothes, and hurried over to the door to shake her professor's hand. In her haste, she knocked Neville forward and his elbow knocked his glass of pumpkin juice all over Blaise's cinnamon buns.

"Motherfucker!" Blaise screeched, rolling away from the table on his stomach. The juice dripped down and hit Ron's legs which were sticking out of the sides of the table since he had yet to sit up. "Those were the only cinnamon buns all week, Hermione! You mother fucking life ruiner! How am I supposed to get through this week with my weekend buns? I _need _the buns!"

Ron groaned, "It's on my pants. I don't think I have another pair clean either."

"I'll go get something to clean this up with," Neville declared.

Blaise sighed and pushed off the floor, "I'll come with you. Those stupid Ravenclaws keep stealing all of the cinnabuns but we might as well try for some more." Pulling Neville with him by his wrist, Blaise pushed past the teachers in the doorway.

Ron stood up next with a groan, "I look like I peed my pants. Draco do you think yours will fit me? Harry is too short." Draco stood, standing hip to hip with Ron and examining the length of their legs.

"I think it'll work," he said after a moment. Motioning with his hand, he sent a smile to the two in the doorway before leading the redhead upstairs.

"I'm sorry," Hermione mumbled, tears welling in her eyes. "I just wanted to greet you but…"

"Hermione-" Harry began, moving to comfort the brunette.

Charity moved faster than he did and wrapped Hermione in a tight hug. Her cheek rested on top of Hermione's hair, "It's okay, sweetie. I'm sure the boys will be over it in a few minutes." Harry shifted awkwardly, his hands dropping to his side. He was contemplating going upstairs to hang out with Ron and Draco, but was stopped by a hand grabbing his wrist and pulling him in for a hug of his own.

After a moment, Harry relaxed into the hug and tentatively allowed himself to wrap his arms around her waist. He was happy she didn't scowl him for the contact like Petunia had when he was younger.

(-)

Charity was sitting in her office, grading the fifth years papers on Muggle wars, when the door flew open. Her head snapped up to find Draco standing in the doorway with a mixture of emotions on his face. His eyes were focused on something above her head.

"Draco?" she called softly, lifting from her seat. "Honey, what's wrong?"

Draco licked his lips before saying, "Could I sit down?"

"Of course!" she answered, gesturing to the chair across from her. "Do you want some tea? Or cookies, I think I have some chocolate chip ones."

"No I just wanted to talk," he answered, walking across the room to sit in the chair. She didn't say anything, waiting for him to feel comfortable to talk about whatever it was he wanted to talk about. After a moment, he rushed out, "I haven't told my parents I'm not a Slytherin yet."

"Oh." She leaned back in her chair before carefully asking, "Is there a reason you're afraid of telling them?"

"My whole family has been in Slytherin."

Charity nodded, a bitter smile on her face, "I remember. I went to school with Bellatrix."

He flinched before continuing, "And my dad…he put a lot of pressure on me about being one. I'm afraid that he'll disown me or stop talking to me."

"And your mother?"

Draco's hands relaxed out of the fists he had unconsciously made. "I think everything will be okay with her. My mother and I are very close."

Silence settled between them again before Charity pushed forward in her chair again, "You are close with Professor Snape right? He's your godfather?" Draco gave a nod. "Okay then. How would you feel if we invited your mother here to talk and the three of us sat down with her and talked about this? Then your mother can talk to your father about it alone."

Draco's eyes widened before he asked, "We can- I mean we can do that?"

She nodded with a fond smile, "If that'll make this easier for you."

"I'd-" he stopped and took a breath. "I'd like that. And um…one of those cookies if their still being offered?"

"Of course. Give me just a minute to grab you some."

(-)

"Longbottom!" Snape barked. "What do you think you are doing? I'm not giving you these extra lessons so you can attempt to poison us both!"

Neville's hands dropped from the cauldron and he stepped back. "I'm sorry, Professor," he declared slowly. "It's just that… I'm not good with the making of the potions. I'm much better with the making of the ingredients." Snape was ready to snap at him but had a flash of Charity's disapproving face when she found out he'd snapped at one of her "babies" had she had taken to calling them and took a deep breath.

"I know that," Snape said after a moment. "Professor Sprout talks very fondly about you. She says you help her grow some of the ingredients she gives me."

A small smile graced the boys lips, "She does?"

"Yes." Snape took another breath before walking away, "From now on I want you to sit with Granger in class. Do not let her do all the work, but let her help you if you need it and spend some more time with Sprout, growing ingredients. We may be able to make up some of the points you've lost so you actually pass my class this year."

"Okay sir," Neville agreed.

"Now get out of here before I change my mind."

Neville scrambled to grab his things. "Okay! See you next week Professor." He stopped at the door.

"What now, Longbottom?"

"You're not as bad as some people say you are."

(-)

Hermione knocked her knuckles twice against Snape's office door before opening it. "I'm sorry to intrude sir."

Snape peered at her over the tops of his reading glasses. "What do you need, Ms. Granger?"

"I was wondering if you had any potion books I could use," questioned Hermione. "Neville and Harry are having a bit of trouble and asked me to help them. I wanted to make sure I had all the information they needed."

"The second shelf should have what you need," Snape replied, gesturing to the bookshelf sitting behind him. Wordlessly, she set a5out examine the titles for what she would need.

Hermione ran a finger over one of the titles before speaking, "Professor, if you don't mind me asking why are you so hard on them? I mean Harry isn't horrible at it, there are just things he doesn't understand."

"Harry," Snape hesitated before continuing, "reminds me a lot of father and not nearly enough of his mother."

"You went to school with them then?" Hermione asked as she grabbed a book on potion ingredients. Snape hummed noncommittally. "Were they good people? I've heard some of the other professors make remarks on how he looks like his father."

"His eyes are all his mothers," Snape responded. He looked at the desk in front of him before turning to face her. "You really want to know?"

She nodded with a small smile. "I want to know." Hermione made herself comfortable in the chair across from him, hugging the books close to her chest. 

**E/n: **I don't know why I decided to do that with Hermione and Snape honestly. I'm still going to do that timeskip, but it'll include the Draco/Narcissa talk – promise.

You might not understand it but because Charity and Snape are so close, and because these are the kids taking care of Draco, Snape's personality towards all of them is different.

Also: Blaise likes cinnabuns like I love Teen Wolf 8)


	7. Chapter 6: Malfoy Promises

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 6: Malfoy Promises.**

"Penguins are weird," Draco declared, moving his fork around. "They're all wobbly and stuff."

"Oh yes, very wobbly and stuff," Harry agreed with a snort. The blonde promptly elbowed him hard enough to send Harry into Neville on his other side. "Ow!"

Hermione barely glanced at them as she rejoined their table, a Daily Prophet borrowed from one of the Ravenclaw girls in her hand. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Penguins," Draco replied simply.

"Penguins?"

"Yup."

Harry was shifting off of Neville when he noticed the front page of the paper. "Hey, I know that place. Hagrid went to that vault when we went to Diagon Alley."

"Someone broke into it," Hermione reported as she smoothed the paper out on top of the table, showing Harry the article. After each of them had read the article, looks laced with confusion and worry were exchanged between them.

(-)

"I don't understand why it's such a hard concept for you to grasp!" exclaimed Hermione as they made their way out of the castle.

Ron huffed, "Well I'm sorry we can't all be perfect!"

"I'm not claiming to be perfect!" Hermione argued. "I'm just saying that if you would actually try then maybe you wouldn't get such bad grades."

Ron bristled, "I do not get bad grades! There just not as good as yours!"

"Guys," Blaise cut in, slipping inbetween them and putting an arm around each of them, "calm down. Let's all be friends here."

"Get off me," Ron snapped, shrugging Blaise off and picking up his pace so he was in front of the other four.

They watched him for a moment before Harry spoke, "So um, does anyone know where Neville is? I haven't seen him today."

"He went to open that package his grandmother sent," Hermione declared after a moment. She tore her eyes away from Ron's back and focused on the boys around her. "He said he'd meet us on the pitch."

Blaise grinned as he let his arm fall from her shoulders. "Our first flying lesson - the only even remotely fun thing we have to do today." At Hermione's frown, he bumped his shoulder against hers. "I know you find the rest of our classes fun but I do not enjoy listening to a ghost talk for an hour."

"Have you ever noticed how many stories he has?" questioned Draco, peering over at them from Harry's left side. "He's constantly drifting off topic."

Hermione nodded vehemently, "It's so irritating! It's hard to take notes when you don't know when he's going to start talking about what he's supposed to be talking about."

Blaise just smiled smugly as she went into a rant. He leaned back on his heels and mouthed behind her back, _Everything is back to normal. _Harry quirked an eyebrow and jabbed a thumb at Ron's back.

Blaise's face fell.

(-)

"Neville!" exclaimed Hermione, rushing to his side when he hit the floor. Her eyes were shaking with worry as she dropped next to him. "Are you okay?" Blaise moved with her, standing behind her with his hands on her shoulders.

As Madam Hooch gave him a quick once over, the other Tigerlily boys hovered around them. "I'll have to take him to the nurses office," she declared after a moment. "Do you think you could walk, Mr. Longbottom?"

The only response was a groan as he turned onto his side.

"I'll do it," Blaise interrupted when she moved to pick Neville up. She looked like she was about to protest, but held her hands up at the glare he was directing towards her. He struggled under Neville's weight for a minute before beginning to walk.

"I'm coming with you," Hermione declared a moment later, clearing the space between them. She glanced back at the others. "Be careful."

"Everybody stay on the ground!" Madam Hooch showed as she followed behind the trio.

The other half of Tigerlily was left behind watched them for a minute before turning back around. The group had turned to each other, ready to start a conversation when they heard someone drawl, "Someone dropped a Rememball."

"Isn't that what Neville's grandma sent him?" questioned Ron.

All three men whipped around to see a Slytherin in possession of Neville's gift. Draco took a step forward, "Goyle, give it here. It's Neville's."

"Why do you care?" the Slytherin sneered.

"He's my friend," Draco answered. "Just give it here."

For a second, Harry thought he might actually do it, then his eyes narrowed and he spat at Draco, "I think you need to remember who your real friends are."

"What're you-"

Goyle pulled his wand out, mumbled a few words, and tossed the ball up. Harry watched with a sort of horrified fascination as the ball lifted up and seemed to fly on its own.

Beside him, Ron muttered, "Floating charm. It's not coming back down."

"What is someone were to go grab it?" questioned Harry, green eyes tracking the ball.

"If that was the case I think we could get it uncharmed by one of the professors," Draco mused. "But there's no way-"

"Yes there is."

Before either of the others could stop him, Harry had pushed off the ground.

(-)

"Harry!" Charity exclaimed as she busted into McGonagall's office. Brushing past the fifth year in the doorway, she bent down and ran her hands over Harry's body – inspecting for any scratches. "Are you okay? Does this hurt? Should I go get-"

"I'm fine," he answered and pulled his arm from her grip softly.

Charity chewed on her lip before pulling him into a hug. "Oh god, don't do that to me again. I was so worried when Draco and Ron told me something had happened with you and McGonagall." As Harry settled into the embrace, she tilted her head ever so slightly to look at McGonagall. "Minerva what is this about if he's not hurt?" She pushed the boy away from her and looked into his eyes. "Harry what did you do?"

"Nothing!" he exclaimed. Then amended, "Well I went against what Madam Hooch told me and flew even though-"

"Harry! You could have gotten hurt!"

"'I know but that stupid Slytherin charmed Neville's present and I just wanted to get it back for him."

McGonagall cleared her throat and both of them turned to her. She spoke carefully, "Mr. Potter isn't in trouble, Professor Burbage. In fact, I've awarded him points for his bravery but that's not why you're here."

Standing up, keeping only a hand on Harry's hair as the dark haired boy fiddled with his hands in the chair, Charity asked, "Then what is it?"

"Well, since Tigerlily has never been a particularly large house," she explained, "it's common for another house to allow its members a place on their Quidditch team. We'd like to run it by you before we offered Harry the Seeker position on the Gryffindor team."

Charity blinked several times before answering, "Oh…Are you sure? I mean Harry is only a first year and-"

"I was rather impressed with his flying skills earlier," McGonagall assured.

Charity looked down at Harry. "Well, what do you think? Do you want to play Quidditch?"

"I uh… I don't know what Quidditch is," he admitted shyly.

"Quidditch is a sport," Charity tried to explain.

The fifth year boy by the door snorted and corrected, "Quidditch is a life style. It's a bit like a girlfriend, I suppose. You may get clipped by her nails occasionally but you'll always love it again in the morning."

"I don't know if that's the best explanation, Wood," Charity laughed. "It is a bit like that though, Harry."

The others in the room watched as Harry's face twisted with thought, thinking of all the sports kids on the playground used to play and how badly he had always wanted to join but was never allowed, before he nodded with a happy smile. "Okay. I'll give it a try."

"Great!" McGonagall clapped her hands together. "Then after dinner Wood will show you to the Quidditch pitch and you can get started on your training."

"Well then, Harry you should go to the infirmary and see Neville," Charity declared with a clap of her own hands. "He's feeling better now but I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."

"Okay Professor," Harry agreed as he scrambled out of the room. He mumbled a soft see you later to the boy by the door.

"Oh! And Harry?"

"Yes Professor?"

"Remind Draco about tonight will you? I'm sure he'll know what you mean."

"Okay Professor."

(-)

When Draco and Charity arrived at Snape's classroom, his mother was already deep in conversation with Snape about how her son was doing in school. Noticing the way he hesitated to cross the threshold, squeezed his shoulders and she pressed a quick kiss to his hair, "Remember what you said, your mother will love you no matter what."

He nodded his head, hands squeezing into fists at his sides, before walking forward. He called softly, "Hello mother."

"Draco!" Narcissa exclaimed walking over to wrap her son in a tight hug. She pressed a kiss to each of his cheeks. "It's been so long since I've seen you. I was so worried something had happened to you when Severus requested I come here."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Charity apologized from behind Draco. "That was on my request. Charity Burbage, muggle studies."

Narcissa stood up, having bent down to interact with her son. "Narcissa Malfoy. I can only assume this means, Draco has been causing you trouble?"

"He is an excellent student!" Charity assured. "He tries his hardest to understand and even when he can't he's got plenty of smart friends that can help him."

"I'm afraid I don't understand then," she admitted. ""If he's not having trouble in school then…?"

Charity looked down at Draco. He met her eyes briefly before looking at his mother. Draco took a deep breath, "Mother, I'm not a Slytherin."

"W-what?" she stuttered, looking taken aback. "Honey you told me you were-"

"Draco's been sorted into Tigerlily, Narcissa," Severus said, joining the conversation. "Professor Burbage is their head of house."

"Oh my," she took a shaky breath. She glanced down at her son, "Draco, why did you lie to me?"

He hesitated before saying, "I was afraid of what you would think. You and father always made it seem like me not being a Slytherin was unacceptable."

Narcissa dropped to her knees and enveloped her son in a hug. She held him tightly as she muttered, "I'll always love you Draco. No matter what."

A moment later, Draco was shaking with sobs. "Two of my best friends are a Muggleborn and a Weasley."

"That's okay," she muttered, rubbing his back as he cried. "You're aunt married a Muggleborn and I'll always love her no matter what anyone tells me. Maybe I'll take you to see her one day. Honey, you have to know if it comes down to it I will fight your father every step of the way for shunning you for this."

"Promise?" Draco sniffled as his sobs fell into hiccups.

"Promise."

**E/n: **Sorry this took so long guys.

The fact that I'm following the movie plot now (since I've just moved and my books are packed away downstairs) makes this a lot harder to write. Before I was writing whatever felt right and now I've got to sift through and change what JK wrote to fit into my story.

It's really frustrating too!

Anyways,

I TOLD YOU GUYS I HAD A PLAN FOR HARRY TO PLAY QUIDDITCH!

Blaise insisting on taking Neville to the hospital wing as less to do with the future romance of theirs and more to do with just being fiercely protective of the members of Tigerlily. They're literally all he has if his mother full out rejects him for his sorting.


	8. Chapter 7: Hogwarts is a Magical Zoo

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 7: Hogwarts is a Magical Zoo**

"He said I did a good job for my first time," Harry said as he tried to fend Ron off his plate of waffles. "But he seems really excited about this."

"Oliver is brutal," Ron declared as he tried to duck under Harry's arm. "Fred and George used to complain that Oliver was even more serious about Quidditch then Charlie. And I once saw Charlie ruin his bedroom over losing the Quidditch cup to the Slytherins. He was a complete pillock to all of us that summer!"

Blaise snorted, "This Wood guy sounds like a party pooper."

"That's not the point," Harry answered. He jammed his elbow sharply into Ron's side and the red head reeled back. "Get your own waffles!"

Ron pouted, "But you took the last blueberry ones…"

"There was a point?" questioned Draco as he took a bite of an apple.

"Oh shut up," Harry sneered. "It's just that Oliver seemed really excited so I don't want to let him down you know?"

"You won't," Hermione declared as she stabbed her fork into his waffles and put one on her own plate. Ron's mouth fell open. "Quidditch is in your blood after all."

Harry blinked at her. "What?"

She shook her head as she smeared raspberries over the stolen waffles. "I'll show you after classes."

(-)

Harry looked at the words in front of him, letting his fingers ghost over the glass. "Wow," he muttered. He glanced over at Hermione, standing with her arms crossed and a large smile on her face. "Thank you. This is the first thing I've learned about my parents."

"Harry, you know, Professor Snape was friends with your mother for a very long time," Hermione declared. "You should ask him about her. He's not very fond of your father but…."

Harry made a choked noise as her fingers settled on his arm, "H-How do you know?"

"I asked him," Hermione reported. "When I was borrowing those potion books from him, it was mentioned. That's why I was so late getting back to the common room."

"Would you…I mean could you come with me?"

Hermione's eyes softened as she squeezed his bicep, "Of course."

Harry dug his palms into his eyes to wipe away the tears before straightening his body. "Let's go back to the common room. The others are waiting for us."

They walked in silence until one of the stairs cases lurched under them. "What the-" Harry began as he felt Hermione fall into his side.

(-)

"Hermione is that a-"

"Dog with three heads? Yes."

"Should we…?"

"Run? Absolutely."

(-)

"That's ridiculous!" Draco exclaimed, flinging his spoon of pudding. "There's absolutely no way there is a three headed dog at Hogwarts."

Blaise frowned, "This isn't even a funny joke. Work on your material for next Halloween, Harry."

"It's not a joke!" Harry insisted. "There is honestly a three headed dog in that corridor! The one the Headmaster said was off limits, you know?"

Draco folded his arms and turned away from him, "I don't believe you."

(-)

Sweating and still shaking with fear, Draco said, "I believe you."

"A troll and a bloody three headed dog," muttered Blaise – shaking his head. "This is ridiculous. Like a bad Halloween movie."

Hermione burrowed further into Neville's side – a hard feat since they were walking up stairs, "This is my fault."

"It's not," Blaise deadpanned. "You didn't let the troll in. All you did was get a little emotional over Ron being a bigot."

"I was not -" Ron stopped when he caught Harry's glare. "Yeah, okay. Sorry 'Mione, you can just be a little frustrating sometimes."

"It's fine," she muttered in response. "It's partly my fault anyway. I'll try not to…do whatever it is I do?"

Harry sighed, "This is the worse Halloween ever. I mean, _a troll!"_

Silence settled before Ron said, "Trolls are really stupid."

"Ron what are you even-" Blaise began to say before his eyes widened. "Oooh."

Draco bumped his elbow into Blaise's rib, "What?"

"Trolls are really stupid," Ron repeated.

"I heard you the first time," Draco said. He rolled his eyes. "I fail to see what that has to do with anything."

"Trolls are really stupid, Draco," Blaise declared. Draco opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Blaise going on, "There's no way a troll could get himself into Hogwarts. Someone _let _him in."

"Oh."

Blaise and Ron hummed in unison. "Uh huh."

(-)

Hermione kept her hand on the walls as she walked through the corridor. When she reached her destination, she hesitated before raping her knuckles against the door. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling self-conscious standing in a dark corridor in her nightgown, as she waited.

"Who is it at this time," Charity exclaimed as she threw the door open. She stopped when she saw Hermione, "Oh! What is it Hermione?"

Hermione shifted in place. "It's um…do you have a phone? A working muggle one?"

Charity hummed, tapping her chin in thought, "I do somewhere around here. I use it with the fifth years but that's not for several months now." She leveled her gaze at Hermione. "What do you need it for, honey?"

"It's just that um…" Hermione's hands played with her hair. "I had a bad dream involving the t-troll. When I was little, at home, my mother used to talk to me until I fell asleep. I don't want to put you out, but I'd like to talk to her for a few minutes if you have one…"

"Oh honey," Charity breathed, pulling her in for a hug. She squeezed Hermione tightly, trying to convey her feelings. After a moment she pulled away and nudged Hermione into the door, "Come in. Let's see if we can find it and call your mother."

(-)

"I don't get it," Blaise declared as he cut through ingredients. "Dwarves have better things to do then watch over runaway Princesses."

Harry laughed as he spun the mixture in the cauldron, "It's just a fairytale Blaise. There's not anything behind it."

Draco's eyebrows knitted together from the seat in between the two, "Why tell it then?"

Harry shrugged, "No reason really. Disney was just a big part of the little bit of childhood I had. When I was doing chores around the house, I would catch glimpses of whatever movie my aunt had put on for my cousin and it just…it was special. I was thinking about asking Charity if she could maybe get a hold of a few for Hermione and I to watch."

"Hermione watched them too?" questioned Blaise.

"I'm sure she did," he responded. "I mean, she's a girl. Girls like princesses."

"Not any girl I know," Draco drawled.

Blaise snorted, "As if you know any girls. Your mother wouldn't dare risk losing her precious Draco to some girl."

"Oh shut up," Draco snapped and blew a handful of powder into his friends face.

"Draco," Snape's voice commanded from the other side of the room, "we don't play with potion ingredients."

Draco's face turned a bright red as he muttered, "Sorry Professor." The other two had to clap hands over their mouths to keep from laughing aloud.

"Boys," Hermione scolded from the cauldron next to them – where she worked with Ron and Neville. "Stop goofing around and work."

"We are working," Blaise objected with a meaningful chop of the ingredients in front of him. "We're just having fun while we do it unlike you."

"I am having fun! Thank you very much," Hermione replied.

Ron snorted, "I'm not."

"Ron don't-" Neville began.

The door to the classroom swung open to reveal Professor McGonagall. Snape raised an eyebrow at her, "Don't you have a class to teach, Minerva? As opposed as to coming in mine."

"Severus," her voice was cool as she spoke, "I need to take Mr. Zabini to the headmasters office. His mother is waiting there for him." Whispers rose across the room.

"Blaise…" Hermione muttered, taking a step towards him.

He gave a calm shake of his head, "It's fine, 'Mione. I can deal with it."

Draco pursed his lips. "Are you sure? Your mom has always been your weak spot."

"Yeah," Blaise declared. He tried to give them a small smile. "I'll handle it and be back before dinner."

"It's only nine am…" Neville commented.

"My mother is a drama queen. What can I say?"


	9. Chapter 8: Blaise is a retard and also

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 8: Blaise is a retard and also QUIDDITCH!**

When Blaise entered the headmasters office the first thing he heard was the shattering of glass followed by a high pitched, "You will put my son in Slytherin or I'll be take him somewhere else!" For what was hardly the first time, he wanted to turn around and run away from his mother.

"Ms. Zabini there's simply nothing I can-" Dumbledore was cut off by more shattering.

Blaise wasn't surprised when they emerged into the actual office to find his mother standing in a ring of broken vases and Dumbledore on the other side of the desk with a frown on his face.

His mother's hands slammed against the desk and she leaned close to Dumbledore. Her voice was a low hiss, "I don't care if you're breaking _laws, _I want my son put in Slytherin where he belongs."

For a moment Blaise wondered why his mother couldn't just be okay with this like Draco's. Then he remembered – just a bit bitterly – that his mother was a cold blooded killer and Narcissa Malfoy was a mother. Narcissa would do anything to make sure Draco was happy and his mother would do anything to make sure he became who she wanted him to be.

"Professor Dumbledore," Blaise said, cutting off anything the man might have responded with. His face was blank of emotion, something he was all too good at making happen. "I'd like to be moved to Slytherin as well."

"Oh, Blaise," his mother declared, whirling around. "Hello dar-"

"Very well," Dumbledore interrupted, his eyes boring into Blaise's own. "If this is what you want Mr. Zabini, I'll inform Professor Burbage and Professor Snape of the transfer. Take the rest of the day to move your things."

His mother straightened with a board smile on her face. She flicked a strand of hair from her eyes, "Well then. I really must be going, my husband will be waiting for me." She breezed past Blaise and out of the room with practiced elegance.

(-)

"Professor, do you know where Blaise is?" questioned Neville as the group entered Charity's class. Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors filled into the classroom behind them.

Hermione bit her lip, hands clutching her books tightly, "Professor McGonagall took him to the headmaster's office during potions earlier to talk to his mother and he never came back. Have you heard anything."

"Guys, Blaise is…well…" Charity looked each of them in the eye before licking her lips nervously. "Blaise has been moved to Slytherin."

There was a moment of silence before Ron said, "But I thought that was impossible. Dumbledore told me it was impossible to switch houses."

"It should be." She spoke carefully and slowly, not wanting to freak any of them out more than was necessary. "Apparently there are special circumstances. I know how important he is to you guys – he's important to me too – but-"

"I'm going to kill him," Draco muttered, rather loudly, before spinning on his heel and stalking out of the door. Harry made to move after him but Hermione grabbed his sleeve.

"Stay," she said softly. "Draco has the best chance of breaking through to him. Draco is for Blaise's, Ron – someone who your closer too then the rest of us."

Harry bit his lip and his eyes darted back towards the door. "Are you sure? I mean this is really-"

"Trust him," Neville interrupted softly. "I want to…knock some sense into him too, but Draco and Blaise have been friends for a very long time. If anyone is going to get through to him it's going to be Draco."

Reluctantly, Harry allowed Hermione to pull him to the seats Ron had taken for them. Softly, he asked, "What if Draco can't get him to see sense?"

"I don't want to think about that," she responded, her grip tightening ever so slightly.

(-)

Draco strolled into the dormitory in a calm fury. He opened his mouth – ready to throw a lot of less than calm words at Blaise – when he was cut off by the offender speaking.

"This isn't up for discussion, Draco," Blaise declared, barely glancing at the blonde. "Professor Dumbledore only let this happen because I agreed. I told him I wanted to transfer – this wasn't all my mother."

"But it was," Draco exclaimed. "I thought….Your happy here aren't you?"

"Of course I am," Blaise exclaimed. "I can't remember ever having anyone care about me and I finally have that. But I can't- She may be a manipulative bitch and not give a flying fuck about me but she's the only family I have Draco." Flipping his trunk closed, he made his way past Draco. "I'm going to the common room."

(-)

Several days later, the table was oddly quiet as Harry poked at his eggs.

"Harry," Hermione spoke softly, "please eat. You're going to need something in your stomach."

"Yeah, Harry," Ron declared, bumping his shoulder against Harry's. "It's your first Quidditch game after all."

"It doesn't feel right. Blaise should be here too," Harry muttered, pressing just another so the eggs broke and yolk spilled out.

"Blaise is a giant pillock," Draco muttered, stabbing his fork into his sausage with a little more force than necessary. The resulting clack made Hermione flinch. "A giant stupid pillock."

"Draco, do not use that kind of language," Snape chastised. The group looked up to find him standing near Hermione. He nodded at Harry, "Good luck today, Potter. Then again now that you've proven yourself against a troll a little game of Quidditch should be easy work for you."

As Snape moved to walk away, Hermione elbowed Harry sharply and gave him a pointed look.

"U-Um Professor!" Harry exclaimed and Ron flinched away from the noise in his ear. "Hermione said you knew my mother and I was just wondering if…if maybe sometime you could tell me about her? I don't…My aunt doesn't talk about her."

Snape stared at them but didn't say anything. After a moment, Charity popped up behind him, hands on his shoulders, and gave Harry a wave, "Are you excited, Harry? First Quidditch match and everything."

Harry smiled slightly, "I'm really nervous, Ms. Burbage. I've had plenty of practice with Oliver and the team but this is the first time I've played in a game…"

Charity reached around Snape and ruffled his hair with a bright smile, "I'm sure everything will be fine. You're an excellent seeker." She nudged her elbow against Snape's hip. "You're team better watch it Sev."

"Potter is still a novice, Charity," Snape responded with a hint of annoyance.

"Oh relax, Sev! It's just a game, we're supposed to be having fun." Draco watched the exchange with pursed lips – he'd never seen anyone but his mother treat his godfather with such familiarity. Charity clapped her hands together, "Well then! We'll let you guys finish your meal in peace. Go Gryffindors and such!"

Before she pulled Snape away, the potions master looked at Harry. "Come to my office when you have some free time."

As they watched them leave Harry hummed, "Well that explains the blood."

"Blood?" Hermione questioned.

"Listen, last night I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion so he could try and get past that three headed dog. But he got himself bitten."

"That's ridiculous," Draco huffed with another brutal stab to his plate. "There's no way he would ever put any of us in danger. He cares about his students."

Neville hummed, "And why would anyone go near that dog?"

"The day he took me to Gringotts, Hagrid took something out of a vault. Hogwarts business. Very secret."

"So you're saying-?" Hermione began.

"That's what the dogs guarding. That's what Snape wants."

"This is ridiculous," Draco exclaimed, standing up. "It's all theory and you're a bloody retard, Harry."

As the stormed away, Ron huffed, "He's been so huffy since Blaise switched houses."

Hermione fixed a sharp glare on Ron, "Don't act like you're not as hurt by him switching as the rest of us are."

(-)

"I still can't believe Professor Snape would do that…" Draco muttered as he collapsed onto the sofa in the common room. His head thunked into Hermione's lap and she moved in hair in a circular motion in his hair – nails digging lightly into his scalp.

"I know, Draco. I'm sure there's an explanation. Until we know what it is though," she glanced over at Harry whose hands were scrapped and bleeding from gripping his broom so tightly, "I hope you'll avoid being alone with him."

Harry opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by the common room door slamming open. All of their heads turned to find Blaise standing in the doorway, red in the face and sucking in large breaths of air. He took a look at Harry's hands, cradled in Neville's as the other rubbed a cream on them, before crossing the room in three strides.

"Are you okay?" he rushed out. "I was so scared when I saw you jerking like that, I wasn't sure you could fix it and jesus fucking christ if you ever do that again I'm throwing you into the Forbidden Forest and-"

Ron placed a hand on Blaise's shoulder, capturing his attention, "He's okay, mate. A few cuts but fine otherwise, Neville is patching him up right now."

Blaise let out a sigh, "Stupid Potter. Making me worry like that."

Harry smiled slightly, "In all fairness, you've been making us worry too."

"We miss you Blaise," Neville spoke softly as he rubbed the cream into Harry's wounds – making the boy flinch. "You're one of us."

Blaise was silent for a moment before tears began to well up in his eyes, "I know, I know. It's just that…My mom is the only family I have."

Hermione reached out and pulled Blaise onto the couch with her and Draco, "That's not true. You have us."

**E/n: **Originally that last bit was the beginning of the next chapter.

But I hadn't reached the intended word limit yet so I threw it in here – making the Blaise situation a one chapter thing. Do not fret though; this is nowhere near the end of Blaise's drama.

Trying to figure out something to put a bit more Neville in these – seriously lack thereof right now – so is there anything you'd like to see involving him? I've put Neville and Hermione kind of in the 'parenting' position of the group. Of course, Charity is there as a mother figure to all of them and Snape has, so far, reached actively out to Blaise and Draco (and I've set up the beginning of a relationship with Harry and Neville a few chapters back) but Hermione and Neville understand better what they're are feeling.

And…OH! I'm not saying Charity and Snape are going to happen, since it was kind of implied Draco saw something there earlier, just leaving the door open for me if I decide to make it happen.

Do any of you know how to spell Nicolas Flamel? As I've mentioned before my books are packed and I find you guy are often a better source then the Harry Potter wikia.

_Next time: Hermione and Blaise put there heads together to find out who Nicolas Flamel is while the others wrap up from last minute things._


	10. Chapter 9: Too Many Books, a Sappy

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 9: Too Many Books, a Sappy Letter, and All Our Favorite Gryffindors. **

Hermione rubbed at her face as she flipped the page of the book in front of her. She'd been in the library since class had ended a few hours ago and staring endlessly at page after page of tiny print was starting to take its toll on her eyes – as it often did.

She had just flipped her eyes over to the open book next to it, ready to delve into whatever information it contained, when she felt firm hands on her shoulders.

"Sweetie," Blaise's voice was smooth as his fingers dug soothingly into her shoulders and rubbed, "you should take a break." Hermione gave a non-committing hum and leaned into his touch. After a second, he released her and slid into the seat next to her. He pulled a book from the stack with a determined, "At least let me help you."

Hermione was about to protest when she caught something with the corner of her eye – a slight flash of orange. Turning her full attention to him, she couldn't help the bright grin that spread across her face when she noticed his silver and green tie had been replaced with one the all too familiar white and orange colors that decorated their common room.

"Your back," she declared.

"Huh?" he followed her gaze down to the center of his chest before he grinned himself. He played with the tie before adding, "Yeah after a long conversation – which involved a lot of sobbing on her part – with Charity, Snape, and Dumbledore.

She didn't ask if he had told his mother about the switch back, didn't mention that trust that had been lost when Blaise abandoned them. Hermione didn't mention any of that as she grabbed the top book from the stack and dropped it into his hands.

He raised an eyebrow, "So now you let me help? I see how it is."

Hermione shrugged as she reached for her own again, "I have no problem making my family do things for me."

He was still for a moment before she heard a content sigh fall from his lips and the familiar sound of a book cover thumping against the table as the book was opened.

They might not trust him the same way they had before but Blaise was still – would always have been even if he hadn't come back – family.

(-)

Neville sat in the Green House with parchment and a quill. He'd been doing better in the class – a lot less accidents happening now that he had Hermione helping him out – but he was still a bit behind pointwise.

Snape, after a little pushing from Hermione and Charity, had allowed him to turn in an essay about the properties of five plants often used in potions. Neville was finding it a lot easier to write about what he knew was true – what he didn't have to second guess because he was good at this stuff.

"Neville dearie," Professor Sprouts voice flowed over from the other side of the Greenhouse, "why don't you take a break and help me water some of these."

He bit his lip for a moment – he was so closed to be finished, he just needed to write another page on Mandrake Root – before hopping off his stool with a, "Yes professor."

The two worked in silence for a moment before Professor Sprout spoke again, "So how is everything going?"

"It's fine," he answered with a shrug of his shoulders as he pulled back after just the right amount of water. "I mean, I don't really know what the deal with Blaise is and Hermione has been hanging out with Ron and Harry more so I'm kind of on my own but it's still good. The six of us it's…it's a family you know? Even when I'm not necessarily with them, I know I've got them."

Professor Sprout reached over, ruffling his hair, and sighed in a fond way, "You would have made an excellent Hufflepuff, Neville."

"R-Really?!" Neville exclaimed, his eyes going wide and his cheeks heating pink. "I love Tigerlily and all but Hufflepuff is-!"

The women smiled, "I'm glad you think so. Hufflepuff gets looked down on more and more as time goes on. As wars are fought and won and we would rather heal then fight."

"But without healers there aren't any men to fight," pointed out Neville. "So shouldn't they be glad that the Hufflepuffs are willing to do it? Not that that's what your intention is right? You heal them because you don't want to see anyone die not because you want them to go out and kill more people. Regardless of what you do though, somebody dies."

"Indeed my boy," she agreed. Sprout gave a heavy sigh as she walked, away, towards the next row of plants, "I just wish other people could see that deeper meaning. Maybe it would change something."

(-)

_Dear Draco,_

_How are you darling? I heard what happened with Blaise from his mother and while I tried to talk to her, she doesn't seem to be budging any. I will keep trying though! I've talked to your father, obviously, and well things are not looking good dear but I will not let him do to you what Blaise's mother did to him. _

_But enough on that depressing topic, Christmas break is soon for you! I've already bought all your presents and hidden them somewhere you won't find them – not in the closet like last year where you found them a whole month early._

_Speaking of Christmas break, would you like to have any of your friends over? Since your father is not okay with anything that's going on Hermione or Ron might be a bit impossible but maybe one of them can come over for a few hours while he works. But I'm sure Neville or Blaise could stay the night if you wanted? It'd be a joy to have Harry over as well, he seemed like such a nice boy when I was there last month. _

_They all seemed like nice people in fact. I'm glad you've made such nice friends even if they weren't the ones you thought they would be. _

_When you come home we'll go shopping together and you can get each of your friends something and mail it to them in fact! _

_Since I've only been talking to her for a month our relationship is still a bit strain and she doesn't completely trust me but I've made plans for the two of us – not your father, never your father - to go to your Aunt Andromeda's house over break as well. _

_You've never met her but she was always my favorite sister. She was the nice one, the fair one. She always made sure I got to play what I wanted as a kid, instead of always what Bellatrix wanted._

_She has a daughter, Nymphdora, who is much older then you but I do hope you'll get along. _

_Love always, _

_Your Mother, Narcissa._

Draco felt unbelievably happy as he finished reading the letter. His mother was trying so hard to make him comfortable and even knowing his father was on the same level as Blaise's mother couldn't squash how happy that made him.

(-)

Blaise's head hit the book in front of him with a loud thump that roused Hermione from the depths of her own. She glanced between his head and the book before nodding, "You'll be fine. Not enough pages in that book to do nearly as much damage as some of the others."

"You say that as though you've had it happen before," he grumbled into the book. She just shrugged an flipped another page in her back. Blaise groaned as he moved his head, pressing his cheek against the pages and watching Hermione read. "How many more do we have to go through."

"Well I've already been in A-G and these are the rest of the ones in H-O," Hermione mused. Blaise groaned, long and drawn out. "You don't have to help you know. You could go find one of the others."

After a moment, Blaise grumbled, "I want to play Wizards Chess but Ron still won't talk to me about the whole switch thing."

"Ron has a very think head," Hermione declared with a glance over at Blaise. "If you truly want to make up with him, you're going to have to ignore whatever stupid things he says and shout over him."

"I just-" he stopped. Across the table his nails dug into his palms. "What if I make it worse? You and Neville are the only ones who are seemingly okay with all of this. I think Draco understands on some level, even if he's not pleased about it, and Harry is…well he's Harry."

"You have to take that risk," Hermione said. "I think you know this already, but Ron has a hard time telling people what he thinks since his brothers are so…eccentric. Especially Fred and George."

Blaise heaved a heavy sigh as he pushed himself up off the book and brought his hands back to his side, "I just don't know."

"That's fine for now," Hermione declared. She bumped her shoulder against his, "You still have to help me anyway."

Blaise gave a playful groan and a whiny, "What did I get myself into with you?"

(-)

Ron felt a pit in his stomach as he approached the figures on the bench – their foreheads pressed together. He stood next to them for a moment, waiting for one of them to notice them. When neither did, he cleared his throat noisily.

Fred was the first one to look at him – turning his head while still touching George and messing up both of their bangs. "Ron!" he exclaimed with a large grin. "Hey baby bro, what's up? Haven't seen you in a few."

George pulled away from Fred, running his hands over his bangs to fix them quickly, before smiling at Ron himself, "Hey Ronnie."

Ron looked at them with confusion.

Fred and George were never nice to him – not like this. The twins were undoubtfully the brothers he was closed too, but they had always made a point to tease him about one thing or another in that way of theirs that made him feel both frustrated and special. Charlie had always been the nice brother though, not the twins.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" he questioned finally, twisting his lips.

Fred grin widened, "I have no idea what you're talking about Ronnie."

Ron was silent for a minute before he huffed, "Fine. Whatever." He turned to leave but George's hand darted out and grabbed his wrist. "Hey! Let me go!"

"You obviously came here for something," George declared, fixing a leveled gaze on Ron. "So just spit it out and then you can go back to avoiding us or whatever you've been doing."

Ron hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth, "How do you – I mean…" He made a frustrated noise as he failed to get the right words. "How do you forgive someone for being a massive pillock without letting them think what they did was okay?"

The twins stared at him for a moment before Fred sighed, "This is about that Blaise kid then."

"Yeah, I mean-" he stopped and blinked at them. "You thought I came to talk about something else?"

"Obviously," George snorted. "We kind of thought you wanted to talk about you not avoiding us anymore but whatever." He shifted into Fred, their shoulders bumping into each other, before continuing, "Anyway, just talk to him Ron. That generally how people get things done."

(-)

Harry licked his lips as he walked out into the courtyard. There was a lot of noise from the kids lingering around or passing through and a throb pounded through his head when he first emerged but it faded the longer he stayed.

"Hello," he greeted, reaching two boys with exploding snap set up in front of them.

The boy playing was short and had brown hair that spiked just a bit. Every now and then he'd let out a laugh with the hint of an accent in it. The one across from him was taller with dark features – from his skin tone to his brown eyes.

"I'm going to talk to this person," the taller boy declared with a sharp look at the other. "But that does not mean I won't see if you cheat, Seamus."

The other boy made an offended noise before saying in a fairly prominent Irish accent, "I never cheat Dean."

"Bull," Dean accused before looking up. The smile that had been on his face melted away when he saw Harry, fading into a firm O, "Oh! Blimey, you're-"

"Harry Potter," Harry declared with a nervous grin. "Um…you don't have to just because I'm Harry Potter but could you…teach me how to play?"

"Oh…" Dean glanced over at Seamus, whose attention had been drawn away from the game as well. "If Seamus doesn't mind? He's getting ready for a tournament with a bunch of Slytherins which is a bit ridiculous if you ask me since-"

"Shut up Dean," Seamus snapped, reaching over and shoving his shoulder. "I know what you're about to say and it is not about luck. It's about memory."

"So can you?" Harry interrupted.

Seamus stopped and turned, grinning, at Harry, "Sure! Just let me finish up."

As Seamus returned to the set-up in front of him, Dean returned his attention to Harry, "So you don't know how to play?"

Harry shook his head, "No. I was raised by muggles and my housemates are more about Wizards Chess."

"Ron is a pretty good player," Seamus put in as he flipped a card. "I haven't beaten him yet but I will!"

"Whatever you say," Dean answered with a roll of his eyes. "Have you played Memory before? The muggle game?" Harry nodded. "It's a bit like that except you only have a certain amount of time before the cards explode."

"Okay I think I've got it…"

**E/n: **Okay wow, this is like the longest chapter yet. I just kind of went with it – personally I like it a lot. We've got Neville doing what makes him happy, Ron talking to his brothers finally – even if not about what they thought -, Harry making some friends with my favorite Gryffindors, Draco getting a really awesome from his totally amazing mom, and Hermione and Blaise chilling while working.

Anyway: I think it's important for them to have friends outside the house as well. Normal friendships instead of family – you know? Ron is used to this, he has friends, and I imagine Hermione is best friends with a ton of Ravenclaws but Harry just has people throwing themselves at him.

So he tries to make friends with the only people who aren't always on him – two random Gryffindors. Neville's "Friendship" won't come up until second year, maybe later. I'm still on the fence with it.

Also what do you guys think of another House member? There's a current blonde girl entering Hogwarts next year that I think would make a fabulous Tigerlily.

_Next Time: Christmas goodbyes and hellos, lots and lots of presents, and another favorite character._


	11. Chapter 10: Old Rooms and New Faces

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 10: Old Rooms and New Faces**

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay or anything?" questioned Neville, biting his lip as he played with the last of his clothes. "I mean, Gran isn't going to mind. At least, I don't think she will. We don't really do anything special for Christmas so-"

"It's fine, Nev," Harry declared from where he sat criss-cross on his trunk. His bed had been overtaken by Malfoy as the blonde sorted through his clothes, trying to decide what to take and what to leave. "I mean Ron is going to be here so I'll be fine." When Neville still hesitated, he kicked his foot out, catching the others knee with just a bit of force, "It's fine, really."

Neville chewed on his lip but ultimately nodded and turned back to his trunk.

"You motherfuckers are going to be so bored," snorted Blaise from his bed. He'd finished his packing just a bit earlier – having goofed off less than the rest of them the day before. "I mean, how can you have a good time without my fabulous ass around here?"

There was a slight awkward silence before Ron reached over, pushing Blaise lightly, "Don't be such a jerkoff." Everyone seemed to relax at that as the chatter picked up again.

"Okay," Draco declared as he grabbed two shirts from the pile. One was a dark green button up and the other a pure white button up. "Which one should I take? It's for my day with my aunt, you know? All of my clothes at home are going to smell like wood and I don't know – whatever else unused clothing smells like when it's been stuck in a dresser."

Harry watched him with pursed lips, "So is this a wizard thing where you dress really nice to meet your family?"

"No," Blaise declared with a laugh. "It's a Malfoy thing. They've always got to look the best."

Draco huffed and flipped his hair off his forehead, "Damn straight. I'm too fabulous to dress like I'm poor."

There were too sharp knocks on the door. Harry replied by calling out, "Come on in Hermione. Everyone's got clothes on."

Hermione popped her head in before opening the door the rest of the way to enter. She made her way through the room, closing the door behind her, and sat down on Harry's trunk with him. "Are all of you ready then?" she questioned.

"Just about," Draco declared. He spun on her with the shirts in his hand, "Which one should I wear to my aunts?"

Hermione looked at them for a minute before pointing to the green one. "Green looks good on you. White sometimes makes you look a little washed out since you're so pale."

"You think so? I thought it was flattering," he mused as he folded the green shirt and placed it on top of the rest of his clothes.

"It is," Hermione agreed. "You get paler then normal when you get nervous. You're already pretty nervous so I'm assuming it'll be worse that night. Now come on, Professor Burbage wants to see us before we leave tonight."

"God why don't you just call her Charity like the rest of us?" Ron huffed.

(-)

Narcissa swept Draco in a tight hug when he found her among the other parents on Platform 9 ¾.

"Oh my sweet boy!" she exclaimed, squeezing him tightly. "How I've missed you!"

Draco chuckled as he buried his face in her robes, "You saw me just a while ago, mama."

"I know but I've still missed you," she declared. She pressed a kiss to his hair before drawing away. "You've got your trunk and everything then?"

Draco nodded as he gestured to the trolley he'd been pushing when trying to find her. He glanced around briefly, "Um…where's dad?"

"He was here but he saw a business associate and ran off," Narcissa declared. Seeing the frown pulling on her sons lips, she squeezed his shoulder. "Let's go wait for him in the station. You can tell me about everything you've been doing at school, okay?"

He tried gave her a half smile, "But you already know about all of my friends!"

"So tell me again."

"Nope!" Draco popped his P as he followed his mother, pushing his trolley. "Why don't you tell me about my aunt. I don't want to be completely in the dark when we go meet her."

Narcissa hesitated for a second before beginning to tell Draco about the times she had spent with her sister when they were children.

(-)

Hermione stepped into her bedroom and took a deep breath.

It looked the same way it always had. The walls were the same pale pink they had been since she was a baby and her bed still sat against the right wall with a blue and green bedspread. The other wall had a large desk with a corkboard over it and bookshelves on either side.

Dropping her backpack onto the bed, her father would bring the trunk up later; she unzipped the first compartment and took out a stack of photos she'd tied together with a broken hair tie. She had a lot of those lying around – too much hair and not enough tie.

Hermione took all the photos currently on the corkboard off. She flipped through the photos of her human friends for a moment before shoving them into one of the drawers of her desk. Taking the tacks she'd placed on the desk she set about pining up the new photos.

_Draco with an arm slung around Blaise's shoulder._

_Neville and Harry bent over a cauldron._

_Blaise and Ron in the middle of wizards chest._

_Herself playing Gobstones with Blaise, Neville watching from a bench._

_Harry on Ron's back and Blaise on Draco as they raced._

_Neville watering a plant while Ron leaned over chatting to him._

_All five of her boys sleeping in front of the fireplace in a tangle of limbs._

She smiled to herself as she looked at the rest of the stack in her hands. There was no way she was ever going to fit all of them onto the board. She hummed gently before moving across the room and flinging the door open. She poked her head out and shouted, "Mom do you think we could buy a bigger cork board?"

"I'm sure we could," her mother mused, standing at the bottom of the steps with a basket of what Hermione recognized as the clothes from her trunk. "I get paid tomorrow. We could go do that while looking for a present for your father. What do you need it for though, darling?"

Hermione paused for a minute before smiling softly, "I just have a lot of family pictures to hang up."

(-)

Blaise used his foot to kick open the mansion door while he lugged his suitcases in by himself. Usually he would have called a House Elf to do it for him but he was still wearing his orange and white Tigerlily tie and didn't want to have that conversation with an elf house around.

"Mother," he called out as he finally managed to get into the foyer. He kicked his shoes off his feet, leaving them by the door for the elves to take care of later. "I'm home from school." He waited for a minute, venturing farther into the hall incase maybe she was upstairs somewhere. "Mother?"

"Hello darling," her voice was smooth as velvet as she swept down the stairs. He was wrapped into a hug, barely feeling the purple silk robe she was wearing against his skin.

"Oh," a voice drifted down and Blaise looked up to find a man, he could only assume this was his new step father, standing at the top of the stairs. "You didn't tell me he was a Tigerlily."

Her eyes narrowed, "He's not. Blaise is a Slytherin-"

"I am," Blaise answered. He tried to ignore the nails digging into his arm and the eyes glaring at him. "Do you know something about? Professor McGonagall said no one had been sorted into-"

The man laughed, Blaise couldn't help finding that a little odd. The men his mother married tended to be more…business oriented - the kind of man who spent most of the day in an office while they gave her their credit card, before shaking his head, "No, no. I was a Ravenclaw." That sent cold blood through Blaise.

His mother had married, and been courted by, Slytherins, Hufflepuffs, even a Gryffindor on one occasion. Never a Ravenclaw. As a child he'd liked to think it was because his father had been the one man his mother had actually loved – that maybe she was still grieving him and that was why she wanted nothing to do with Blaise. He reminded her to much of his father.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and forced himself to think about Hermione - about how she was always wanting new information about their house and _not_ thinking about how she wouldn't want him to be uncomfortable trying to get it – as he ripped from his mother's grasp and stepped towards the man, "How do you know about Tigerlily then? I was told most people thought it was a myth…"

"I'm an archeologist," the man declared with an even wider grin. Well that explained the uncommon muscular figure. "Sometimes I run across text about it. Your mom told me you were a Slytherin so I brought you some stuff about that in case you wanted to know more but I think I could get prints of the Tigerlily stuff if you want?"

Despite the little bit of hate he had for the man, merely for being a Ravenclaw like his father, Blaise grew a bit fond at the thought. Only one of his mother's other husbands had shown any interest in him and that was because he couldn't have children of his own to take over his business. But this man was completely different than the others.

"I'd like that," he muttered after a moment. "One of my housemates – I only have five – is a complete nerd. She frustrated about not being able to find anything in our school books."

The man laughed, loud and deep, "Sounds about right. Most of the stuff I found is in private collections of people whose families were in Tigerlily but I've got connections." Something seemed to dawn on him suddenly because his eyes widened. "How silly of me, I totally forgot! I'm Robert."

Blaise hesitated before gripping the outstretched hand, "Blaise Zabini."

"I know that," Robert laughed and reached over to ruffle the little bit of hair Blaise had.

(-)

"Could you let me…?" Neville licked his lips as he looked up at his Gran. "Do you mind waiting out here? I just want to talk to them alone for a minute."

Gran watched him for a minute before nodding, "That's fine. I'll be right here when you're ready for me to come in." He waited until she'd made herself comfy in the chair outside the room before walking in.

The room was, as always, the same. The walls were pale orange and the beds his parents slept in were pushed together. The table next to his mother's bed held all the flowers brought by various aunts, uncles, and cousins while the greeting cards were next to his father. His mother loved flowers.

His father is asleep with Neville walks in, with the orange hospital blanket thrown over him, but his mother is sitting up in bed. Her eyes are glassy and she's staring at the wall but she turns when he walks in.

"Hi," he greets gently, with a little wave. She doesn't say anything – she can't say anything – as he grabs the chair from the side of his fathers bed and moves it to the side of hers. Once he's comfortable, he leans over – arms folded on the guardrail and his chin tucked on them. "I haven't seen you in a while. I've been at Hogwarts. It's so amazing, mum."

She watches him as he talks.

He tells her about Ron and how he beat a fifth year in Wizards chess last week. He talks about Hermione and how she's always bent over a book. He explains how Draco is nothing like the women who put them there and how he's just a bit flamboyant. He says that Harry is always amazed when people treat him like he's a celebrity and how Neville teaches him a bit about the wizarding world and Harry teaches him about the muggle world. He mentions Blaise and how sad, betrayed, he had felt when Blaise left but how happy he was when he returned.

When he finishes, his father is awake and watching as well.

So he tells stories about Ron falling out of tree, about the Piggy Back race they'd had, about anything that comes to his mind.

Neville talks to his parents longer then he has ever before. He talks with a smile and for once he doesn't cry.

**E/n: **So I lied – no Tonks in this one. Christmas was supposed to be one chapter but it's turned into two now. Oh well. Neither one will have Ron and Harry – those events haven't changed.

So I was talking about Luna when I mentioned a new Tigerlily but you guys expressed interest in Daphne Greengrass as well? I could play with her age and add her as well if you wanted. Idk tell me what you guys think about that. Possible pretty blonde lesbian couple xD. I think that's about it this chapter.

Oh! Fact check real quick: Tonks is in her seventh year when Harry starts Hogwarts correct?

_Next time: A badass Hufflepuffs knocks the brooms over and some other stuff too. But mostly the badass Hufflepuff._


	12. Chapter 11: Familes of all Kinds

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 11: Families of All Kinds.**

Hermione's arm was looped through her mother's as they walked through the mall. In her left hand she held a cherry slushie while her right was looped through her mothers. As they walked, Hermione talked adamantly about the time she had spent at school, careful of the words she said so it seemed like she may have been talking about a book or game instead of real life.

"It's just…" Hermione made a fluid motion with her hands, narrowly avoiding another girls head, "fantastic mother."

She smiled down at Hermione, "I'm glad. You're so happy." A sad smile settled on her lips but before Hermione could ask she was speaking again, "Before you got your letter your father and I were really worried about where to send you. You just weren't getting along with the other children and we don't have the money to send you to the type of school you should have been in."

"Mom I didn't-"

"I know sweetie," she dropped a kiss on the top of Hermione's head, "but that doesn't mean we didn't want to put you in a school that challenged you." She straightened up with a sigh, "None of that matters now though because your happy at school right?"

"Yeah," Hermione nodded.

"And you have a lot of new friends right?"

Hermione smiled fondly, "Yeah."

"Then that's all I want for you," her mother declared with a smile. She let out a breath before smiling, "Now let's go see if we can't find something for your father okay?"

The girl groaned, "Papa is always so hard to shop for."

"Trust me, I know," her mother declared with a loud laugh.

(-)

Draco fidgeted nervously as his mother played with his collar.

"Try not to talk about your father too much," she declared as she folded the fabric down, "and avoid your Aunt Bella unless she mentions it. Just…Be Draco and not Malfoy okay?" Draco nodded silently as she finally pulled away. She gave his hair a ruffle before knocking on the door.

From within the house there was a shouted, "Nymphadora get the door!"

"Don't call me that!" another voice shouted. A moment later there was a loud crash before a mourned, "I don't think I can get up."

"'Dora why can't you just-" the voice got gradually louder until the door was flung open. The women froze, blinking several times before she smiled widely and pulled Narcissa to her, ripping Draco's hand from hers, "You haven't changed a bit Cissa!" Behind her, Draco could see a girl with bright orange hair lying in a sea of tipped over umbrellas.

His mother's shoulders remained tense for a minute before she wrapped her arms around her sister, "I missed you, Andy."

"I missed you too," Andromeda muttered.

Draco glanced down, thinking maybe he shouldn't be watching something so private, to find the same girl from before had crawled over to him with blue hair. She grinned widely when she noticed him noticing her, "Hiya! You must be Draco, I'm Tonks!"

Ah yes, I'm Draco," he declared with a nod. After a moment he asked, "Wasn't your hair orange before?"

Tonks giggled, "Yes! I'm a metamorphmagus."

Draco's eyes widened and despite himself he let out a breathy, "That's so cool!"

"I know right? Mom said you're in your first year at Hogwarts?" Draco nodded. "Sweet! I graduated last year. I was a Hufflepuff, what house are you in?"

He heard the muttered conversation between their mothers halt at the question. Andromeda began to protest, "Nymphadora you shouldn't-"

"I'm in Tigerlily," Draco interrupted, knowing what his aunt had obviously expected.

Tonks face twisted, "I didn't think that was actually real." A moment later she shrugged before grabbing his hand, "Come on. I'll show you some of the cool things Mad-Eye is teaching me. I'm training to be a Auror you know? It's the best job in the whole wizarding world! There's no point being in the kitchen with them since their just going to talk the whole time."

Draco really didn't know what to do as the older, stronger, and chatting whirlwind of a female pulled him away.

(-)

Blaise was in his room – as he usually was – when someone knocked on his door.

The fact that they hadn't just walked in ruled his mother out automatically. So he assumed to mean it was one of the house elves with dinner – his mother had always loved being taken out to dinner and she was never one to take Blaise with them.

"Come in," he called, shoving his potions essay over to make room for a plate on his desk. He chuckled to himself; Hermione would kill him for doing something like that to homework. Much to his surprise, he turned to find Robert standing in his doorway instead of a house elf.

"Hey kiddo," Robert drawled as he entered. He swung a pack off his shoulders and tossed it to Blaise.

He fumbled with it for a minute before finally getting a grip on it. Peeking inside he found a two full sized books and a smaller one. "What're these?"

"They have a bit of information on Tigerlily," Robert answered as he lowered onto Blaise's bed. "The small one has a lot more than the other two though. I've convinced the holders to send me a picture of her portrait and the bracelet."

Blaise blinked, "Bracelet?"

"Yeah it's-" Robert's face twisted in thought for a second. "Well you're a first year so I'm not sure if you know yet? But each house has something that used to belong to their Founder that is special. For Tigerlily it's a bracelet encrusted with a jewel for each of the houses because Tigerlily is all about acceptance and mixture. It about being smart and kind but still going after your dreams with all you've got."

He looked down at the stuff in his hands before choking out, "I can't believe you know more about my house then I do."

"It's my job." Seeing that he wasn't entirely set on the statement, the elder man reached across, patting Blaise's shoulder, "You'll figure it out bud. I wouldn't know half the stuff I do about Ravenclaw without help from others. I know you don't have the upperclassmen like I do but you can still ask your teachers or me, you know? There's a lot of stuff I know and probably didn't think of."

Blaise nodded, "Thanks. I mean…" He smiled a bit, "I kind of thought this was all a dream for a while there because there was just no information."

Robert smiled a bit before getting up. "Well, I'm going to take a shower. Get dressed for dinner okay? I promised your mom we'd all go out."

"Oh…I'm going with you?"

Eyebrows furrowed, "Why wouldn't you come with us?"

(-)

Over an hour and thirty stories later, Tonks and Draco stomped down the stairs. While Tonks swung around the table and opened the fridge, grabbing sodas from within, Draco took the opportunity to sit down next to his mother.

She smiled around her cup of coffee and used a free hand to ruffle his hair. As he fixed his hair with a smile, Draco wondered why his mother didn't always make that expression.

"Hey there kiddo," drawled Andromeda from the other side of the table. Draco gave a little wave. "You can call me Andy or Aunt Andy or anything you want, okay?"

"Okay," he muttered.

"Here you go," Tonks declared as she placed a stripped glass of a green liquid in front of Draco. "I hope you like Mountain Dew. It's all we have right now, we need to go shopping."

Draco glanced at the cup, "I've never had Mountain Dew." He glanced over at his mother, seeking permission, and she nodded with a grin.

Tonks looked horrified at the notion but her mother speaking kept her from saying anything, "So I hear you're at Hogwarts now? A first year." Draco nodded. "Have you gotten yourself into any mischief yet?"

"No," Draco answered with a shake of his head. "Hermione and Neville would never let us do anything like that."

The conversation went on from there with his aunt asking questions and Draco answering them with Tonks interrupting with a tale of her own every once in a while. As they got more comfortable with each other the conversation drifted into topics more personal and Draco found himself smiling even more.

(-)

The hospital room was alive with noise and smiles as Neville sat with cross legs on his mother's bed.

Every Christmas the staff at St. Mungo's was lax enough to let the whole Longbottom family – there wasn't a lot of them but there was certainly more than a few – pile into the room and be a family. Presents were bursting out from around the teeny tiny tree in the corner of the hospital room, the same one that was in all of them.

Neville glanced up from his plate of homemade meatballs and store-bought mac and cheese to find both of his parents looking at them. They were blank, like they always were, but he could have sworn he saw a flicker of something in their eyes that made his smile widen just a bit.

"Neville," his Gran mothers voice was soft in the way she used only in the hospital, "we're opening presents now. Why don't you help Analiese pass them out?"

With a brief nod, Neville stood – resting his plate on his mother's legs with a smile at her – before scampering off towards the tree with his seven year old cousin.

For a moment, that large gaping hole in his chest was just a little warm.


	13. Chapter 12: Trust in Dumbledore

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 12: Trust in Dumbledore**

Harry was fast asleep when he heard the banging of the dormitory door and muttered conversations outside.

"I can't believe it took this long to get here," muttered a low voice that sounded a lot like Blaise.

He was apparently being ignored because Neville's voice flowed in next, "Their already asleep. We'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Mhm…Okay," Hermione answered.

For a moment there was the familiar burn of the light being turned on before Neville hissed, "Draco turn it off. Ron and Harry are sleeping."

"What do you expect me to stumble over to my bed?"

"Yes."

"Whatever." Draco didn't put up a fight like he usually would have so Harry assumed he was being glared at by a combination of the others.

"I'll be going to my room then," Hermione drawled. There was the smack of a kiss to cheeks before the door snapped closed.

"Fuck it's darker than I thought," cursed Blaise as the lights flashed back out.

"I'm sleeping with you, Blaise," Draco declared. "I feel like I might sit on Harry or Ron if I try and get to mine."

"Fine, fine. Just hurry up, I'm getting cold."

Harry let himself drift off to the comforting sounds of the rest of the House. He'd forgotten how much he'd missed them while they were gone…

(-)

Breakfast the next morning was full of chatter as kids from all of the houses hugged and kisses cheeks and showed off the occasional Christmas gift.

At the Tigerlily table, the group sat closer together then they normally did. Ron's shoulder was touching Blaise's and Blaise ate with one arm slung around Draco's shoulders. Under the table, the top of Draco's foot was pressed against the tip of Hermione's and the girl herself had an elbow brushing against Harry's forearm every time one of them moved. Harry was leaned into Neville, listening to the other raven talk about his holiday and Neville's foot touched Ron's in a way similar to Draco and Hermione. –

"So did you have fun with your aunt?" questioned Blaise, bumping against Draco.

Draco hummed, "Yeah. My cousin – Nymphadora even though she hates being called that – is training to be an Auror. She's really cool."

"Are you going to see them again soon?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah, mom said we would go visit during the summer and any other time we could all find some time too," Draco drawled with a spoon full of oatmeal. "I can't wait for it actually and I mean… I haven't seen my mother smile like she did when she was talking to my aunt in a really long time."

"Oh honey," muttered Hermione, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand.

He shrugged, "It's fine. I know my parents aren't really in love any more so." He finished with a shrug.

There was a silence between them before Ron cleared his throat. "So we couldn't find anything about you-know-what but Harry got something really cool for Christmas."

Blaise quirked an eyebrow, "And what pray-tell is it?"

Harry glanced around as Ron leaned over and whispered, "Someone sent him an invisibility cloak."

"What?" screeched Blaise. The rest of their house mates looked at the red head with wide eyes. Blaise glanced over at Harry. "Is he serious? Those are upper expensive and rare! My mother's fourth husband couldn't even get me one and he was muggle royalty!"

"How does your mother even meet these men?" mused Neville, torn between amazement at Harry's gift and amazement in Blaise's mother.

(-)

Hermione sat cross legged in one of the bright orange chair of the common room when the door swung open. Blaise thumped in, wiping his boots on the rug and shaking snow flaked hair out, "Whew! I've been inside for a good ten minutes and I'm still freezing."

She smiled as she shielded her book from the onslaught of snow being shaken towards them, "The others didn't come in with you?"

"Nawh," he replied with another shake of his head. "Last I checked Draco was still trying to put snow down Ron's shirt." Blaise hung his coat on a hook before moving towards her, leaning over the arm and across her body. "Whatcha reading?"

"Hugo Cabret," she replied. "It's a muggle book. My mother got it for me for Christmas."

When Blaise didn't say anything Hermione wondered if perhaps something bad had happened to him over Christmas break. After all, over the course of their day and half back at Hogwarts he'd been the only one not to say anything about this break.

As she opened her mouth to drift the conversation somewhere more comfortable, he said, "My mom's new husband is the same house as my father. She's never married another Ravenclaw."

Hermione fumbled for words but all she could come up with was a soft, "Oh."

"And I like him," Blaise continued. "A lot. I mean I've only spent a few weeks with him but he's so different than the rest. He's an archeologist and he went out of his way to find me something's on Tigerlily when I told him I was one." A dry laugh escaped his throat. "He even made us all have dinner together every night and there was actual conversation. I can't remember the last time I got in a word during dinner with my mother."

"That's a good thing isn't it?" questioned Hermione as she placed her book on the table. She placed a soft hand on his back when it was free.

"Not at all," Blaise said. Hermione felt her heart break a bit at how clear it was he was choking back sobs. "Because I really like this guy, 'Mione, and I know my mother to much too think he's going to last."

As she leaned down, wrapping her arms around her friend as the tears began falling and sobs ripped from his chest, Hermione felt hatred bubble inside her for Blaise's mother for what was nowhere near the first time.

(-)

"Ah ha!" screeched Draco and a second later Neville found himself face first in the snow. Laughter bubbled out of him as he tried to squirm away from the blonde's hands before he managed to get them down his shirt.

With a twist of his hips, Draco lost his grip on Neville and fell into the snow beside him. Draco's hands were freezing and full of snow but he desolved into laughter, Neville quickly doing the same.

At some point, Neville's laughs turn into sobs. He doesn't realize it until Draco has rolled onto his stomach and their hips are touching. "What's wrong?"

"This is wrong, so wrong," Neville sobbed, rubbing clenched fists into his eyes to try and wipe away the tears. "I spent all of Christmas break sitting my parents hospital room talking about you guys. Your one of my best friends and you _shouldn't_ be. Your father and aunt took my parents away from me. Your family is the reason I wasn't this happy when I was younger."

Draco was silent for a minute before he said, "I wish I could give that back to you Neville. I really do."

"I know, I know," Neville choked out. "That's part of why it hurts so much. It'd be so much easier if I could hate you like I do them."

They laid there with tears streaming down Neville's face, freezing and stinging at his cheeks, and Draco lying next to him with his hip touching Neville's and no idea what to say.

Neither of them really knew when it happened, but by the time Neville's tears finally stopped and Draco finally figured out that there really wasn't anything he could say to make this better, Ron and Harry were sitting next to them.

"Come on," Harry muttered softly. "Hermione and Blaise will be wondering where we are."

Ron reached out with a gloved hand, grabbing one of Neville's, and pulled him to his feet. Neville stumbled a bit before Ron steadied him with a smile and a hand on his shoulder, "All right then mate?"

"No," Neville admitted. Ron's face feel just a bit until Neville added, "But I will be. I think so anyway."

Ron shifted, sliding his arm up around Neville's shoulders instead of letting him go, "It's a start."

"And that's a good thing," Harry agreed with a nod as he jumped onto Draco's back.

(-)

"I can't believe Crabbe just left you!" exclaimed Draco, his hands clenched into fists. "I'm going to kick his ass."

Hermione placed a hand on his forearm, "I'm not happy with him either but there are more pressing things to deal with, Draco."

"I know that obviously," he snapped back. "But Crabbe just left him there! With the Dark god damn Lord!"

"He didn't know it was Voldemort okay?" Harry declared from where he sat in the armchair. "What are we going to do? Who at Hogwarts would even help him get to the Sorcerer's Stone?"

There was silence for a minute before Ron spoke, "I know you don't want to think about it Draco – he's important to all of now you know? – but maybe we _should_ consider Snape as a possibility."

"Snape wouldn't-" Draco began.

Neville cut him off with a shake of his head, "Snape wouldn't do that to Harry, to us. He loves Draco and all of us just as much as Charity does."

Ron didn't say anything for a moment before he heaved a sigh and slouched in his chair, "I know, I know. This is just so frustrating knowing he's back and wanting to kill Harry."

"Hey we don't know that for sure," Blaise growled.

"Of course we know it for sure," Ron shot back. "If I killed you and you somehow came back wouldn't you come after me?" The way Blaise's mouth snapped shut was the only response he needed.

"I think you're all forgetting one, very important thing," Hermione cut in. All of them looked over at her with various expressions of worry, fear, and confusion. "Who's the one wizard Voldemort has always feared?"

There was a beat before Neville breathed, "Dumbledore."

"Exactly! As long as Dumbledore is around Harry is safe," Hermione declared.

Draco shook his head, "I don't like it, regardless. Putting all our faith in Dumbledore doesn't sound that good a plan to me."

"Of course not," Blaise murmured. "It's not like I'm just going to hand Harry over to Voldemort if Dumbledore can't keep him safe."

**E/n: **Oh wow we're almost at the end of First Year! That was so fast! So only a few more chapters!

Would you guys prefer I start another story for Second Year or put it all into this one? And what do you want to see in Second Year?

There's been a little bit of a debate )I may have mentioned this last chapter) involving who – if anyone – would be joining the house next year. I think most of you are interested in Luna but we talked about some time-bending to put Daphne in there.

So leave me something involving all of those things up there and your thoughts on this chapter, kay?


	14. Chapter 13: Exams Are Our Biggest Enemy

**`Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 13: Exams Are Our BiggestEnemy**

Neville sat in the Herbology room with his potions book opened up in front of him.

With exams coming up he needed to put all of his effort into studying for their exams and potions were giving him the most trouble per usual. He'd planned to work with Snape later that week but he tended to get yelled at less when he put in a little more effort before their sessions.

The Greenhouse was the best place to do that since it gave Neville a sense of peace and happiness.

"Neville!" screeched Blaise. Neville looked up from his textbook in time for Blaise to come crashing into the greenhouse and fall to his knees next to Neville's stool. He waved a paper around in the air. "Oh man you need to help me. I don't have any idea what half of this stuff is."

"Oh," Neville blinked several times, "I didn't find it that hard though…"

"You like this stuff though," Blaise shot back. "Neville, please! I promise not to sleep through Herbology next year just help me this once!"

Neville didn't believe it for a second, it wasn't like Blaise was exactly good with hiding how boring he found Herbology, but he gave his friend a week smile, "Let me finish rereading this chapter then I'll come meet you in the common room."

"Oh thank god," Blaise breathed. Lifting off his knees, he ruffled Neville's hair before walking away. "See you in a bit Nev."

(-)

Harry heard a loud thunk before a heavy sigh. Looking up from his book, he found Seamus collapsed in the chair next to him with a huge pile of books and Dean taking the seat across from Harry with a slight smile.

"I'm so done with exams," Seamus sighed, his head tilted back in the chair and his whole body slouched down. "This is frustrating and stupid."

Dean hummed as he reached for one of the books in front of Seamus, "That's because you didn't do half the work." He flashed Harry a smile, "How are you handling all the studying?"

"It's fine," Harry answered, pulling his legs up from the floor and sitting criss cross applesauce instead so Dean would have room to extend his. "I've gotten some help from Hermione with History of Magic and Neville is helping all of us with Herbology."

"The Weasley twins are menaces," Seamus groaned. "They keep charming everyone's stuff and calling it 'practice.'"

"They wouldn't charm your stuff if you didn't leave it sitting around," Dean shot back as he flipped a page.

"If I put it away I wouldn't be able to find it!"

Dean sighed and glanced over at Harry, "Do you want him? I could be best friends with Ron instead. All you've got to do is say the word."

"Dean!" Seamus whined as he lurched over the table.

Harry laughed, "No, Seamus seems like too much trouble."

Laughing as he batted away Seamus's hands, Dean answered, "It's because he's a leprechaun, Harry!"

"Oh my god! You just called me a leprechaun," Seamus exclaimed as he went tumbling back into his seat. "I hate you so much Dean, so so much."

"Well," Harry drawled, "you are pretty short and your ears are kind of pointy."

He couldn't help laughing at the indiginant look that settled on Seamus's face. As Dean desolved into laughter with Harry, Seamus's lips turned into a pout, "You guys are so mean!"

(-)

Draco strolled into the potions room panting with ruffled hair and a smile on his face.

"Professor Snape," he greeted as he approached his godfather's desk.

He was looked at over the top of black wired reading glasses. "Draco what happened to you?"

"Nothing really," Draco answered, glancing at the door and then the upperclassmen in the back who were whispering furiously as they brewed. "Why are they in here? Classes are over."

"They're doing some extra work to prepare for their OWLs. Now I'll ask again – what did you do?"

Draco didn't say anything for a minute but Snape narrowed his eyes and he suddenly sighed, "It's not really anything. I mean I hid one of Hermione's textbooks because she was being insufferable – she absolutely refuses to let us take a break when she's helping us!"

"So you are…hiding from Ms. Granger?"

"Well," Draco shrugged, "if you want to put it that way."

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose before saying, "I will not have a bunch of first years chasing each other around down here when students are trying to prepare for OWLs and toxic ingredients are all over."

"She's not chasing me," huffed Draco. "She still thinks Ron did it."

"Unless there's something you actually need help with, get out of here. This week is too busy for all this."

(-)

Ron's head hit the table with a thud so loud Hermione looked up from her book.

"Ronald…?" she questioned softly. "Is everything okay?"

"No," he groaned. "I hate exams. I hate tests. Even when my mom would give them to me while she homeschooled us – primary school you know? Most wizards don't go just in case their magic acts up – I would always get really nervous and freak out so I'd end up failing."

Hermione was quiet for a minute before she stood up. Ron heard the pitter patter of her small feet climbing up the stairs and then the creak of her door opening before it closed and she came back down.

His head was still against the table and his eyes closed when she came back so he didn't know what she was doing until she grabbed his hand. His eyes fluttered open and he twisted his head so his cheek was cold against the table.

She was crouched next to him with a black cord dangling from her hand. He watched as she pressed a clear blue crystal into his hand, unconsciously flexing his fingers.

"When I was little," she declared, her fingers over lapping his as she twisted them into a fist around it, "I was really bad at taking tests too. I flunked everyone, barely passed first grade without being held when we went to a zoo on a field trip, my mom bought the crystal for me and she told me that whenever I got freaked out, I should just focus on it and try to remember everything I knew."

"Why are you handing it to me?" questioned Ron, glancing from his now closed fist to her face.

Hermione smiled, "I don't really have problems with it anymore. I figure, since your so worried, you can do the same during the exam and maybe it'll help you..."

"Your mother gave it to you though," he mused, flipping the stone between his fingers. "Don't you want to keep it?"

"My mother had, and still will, give me a lot of things," Hermione declared. "I think it's okay to give away one of them."

There was silence for a minute before ron straightened up in his seat and she pulled away. He shifted the crystal back down to the middle of the ground before lifting it up and pulling it over his head.

"Thanks Hermione."

"It's fine," Hermione declared, brushing off her jeans as she got off the ground. "Now could you go see if you can find Harry and the others please? We could all use a break and I found some Disney movies in my trunk. My dvd player is charged.

"Yeah fine."

(-)

"I still don't understand it," Draco complained several hours later as he rolled onto his stomach and buried his face in the coach, the sounds of chirping birds and Once Upon a Dream in his ears. "One of these princesses of yours lived with Seven Men and another fell in love with a beast!"

"You don't get it," groaned Harry, tilting his head back to see the blonde, and Hermione nodded in agreement. "Beauty and the Beast Is about loving someone for who they are rather then what they look like."

"That's retarded," grumbled Draco. "That's like telling me I should go out with Pansy just because she's a nice person."

"But Pansy's not a nice person," Neville declared with confusion in his voice and a tilt of his head.

Blaise spoke from where he was beating his fists lightly against Draco's calf in an attempt o make him move his legs, "Pansy is still trying to go out with you? I thought she got over that when we were like…eight?"

"Shut it Zabini," Draco shot back. "And you clearly completely missed my point Neville."

"Well no one is going to go out with you just because you're a pretty boy," Harry cut in again.

"Puh-lease," Draco exclaimed with a roll of his eyes. "I am the prettiest god damn person in this room, sorry Hermione, there is absolutely no reason not to go out with me."

"Other than your shit attitude?" put in Ron.

Draco promptly lifted his head to glare at the red head. Blaise dug his fist into Draco's skin a little harder so the blonde turned to glare at him instead. He ignoring him, Blaise breezed in with, "Someone explain the other one to me? Snow White or whatever. All I learned from that is how to grab jars for short people."

There was a round of laughter from the group before Harry choked out, "I'll tell you when I figure it out."

"I think it's about family," Neville said softly. "Her real family poisoned her so she found a real family in the woods with the seven dwarves."

There was silence for a minute before Hermione said, "I think we should get going to bed then. It's pretty late and we have our Charms exam in the morning."

**E/n: **I'm starting to get really nervous! Only another chapter (or two? I'm debating whether to write it all in one massive chapter or two dividing ones) until the end of this book. And hey look – I even gave you some Romione!

On that note: here's what I've (with your guys help) have decided. There's going to be a events of the summer chapter – do you guys want to see Harry at the Dursley's there or would you prefer I skip over it? – which you are free to put your ideas in about what you'd like to see and then I'll put book two in here with it.

I think since the first three are so small that I'll put all of them into this story. After that I'm not sure what will be happening though – we don't want to scare anyone off with our chapter count if it gets too high xD

There's also a consensus among you in seems that if you only get one new Tigerlily you want it to be Luna so that's what I'll do. There's likely NOT going to be a love interest for her, but go ahead and give your thoughts on that too. And uh sorry that Snape and Charity haven't really been around these last few chapters. I feel like I'm trying to build on the plot more then the relationships now? Idk though.

So yeah – Drop a Review and rec the story to anyone you think will like it!


	15. Chapter 14: Fears, Promises, and Betraya

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 14: Fears, Promises, and Betrayals. **

"Mhm," groaned Blaise as he stepped out into the sunlight. He clasped his hands together and stretched up, "It feels so nice to be moving again! I hate sitting still for that long."

Draco huffed from his spot on Harry's left, "You hardly sat still, Blaise. You were always shifting or tapping your finger or something else horribly distracting."

"You're not exactly innocent yourself blondie," Blaise laughed as he slung an arm around the blonde and pulled him close. "I swear to god everytime you stopped biting your nails you were muttering to yourself."

Draco's cheeks heated pink before he gave Blaise a hard shove to get away from him, "I did not do that you idiot!"

Blaise stumbled back into Ron and paused for a second before a grin spread across his face, "Oh you are going down." He pushed off the ground with the toes of his feet and launched himself at the other.

There was a round of laughter as they tussled on the floor and through Hermione was biting her lip with worry, she didn't protest as they rolled around. The other students passing on to their way to their own dorms didn't say anything either, instead just giving them strange looks.

It wasn't until Draco started screeching as Blaise tickled him that Harry hissed out, "Shutup already." All of them turned to find his eyes squeezed shut as he gripped at his forehead, his smile from the vents playing out in front of him wiped off.

Neville hurried towards him with Hermione behind him. He looked at Harry for a moment before whispering, "I still have some of that anti-pain cream but given how you got the scar…."

"Should we go get Madam Pomfey?" questioned Blaise, still straddling Draco's hips as he looked at the other male with a frown on his face. "You can sit down and-"

"It's fine," Harry answered with a shake of his head. "It's just…irritating. I think it's some kind of warning." He allowed his eyes to slowly drift open until over the top of Hermione's hair he could see Hagrid.

He blinked several times before letting out a sharp, _"Oh!"_

Before he could think any farther, Draco had scattered out from under Blaise and was in his face as well, "Harry just let us take you to-"

"Not that," he exclaimed. He made a motion with his arms that sent them all railing back to keep from getting hit.

Ron spoke as he reached out a hand to help Blaise get up, having landed on his back when Draco had thrown him off, "Then what is it?"

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants most is a dragon and someone just happens to show up with one? I mean how many people do you think walk around with a dragons egg in their pocket?"

The whole group exchanged a look before letting out their own, "Oh" and starting off towards Hagrid.

(-)

"Not here," exclaimed Hermione in a voice that implied she was hyperventilating as they left McGonagall's. "I can't believe he's not here! Why isn't he here? That's the only way we're going to be able to keep Harry safe!"

"Whoa," Ron breathed and reached out for her. He moved in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulder, the rest of the group stopping with them. He felt her shoulders rising and falling rapidly with her breaths. "Take a deep breath."

It was several moments before she was finally able to get her baring together.

"She does have a point though," Draco pointed out, his canines digging into his lip. "We all just assumed Dumbledore would be here to keep him safe…"

"I told you before," Blaise interrupted, "just because Dumbledore isn't going to protect Harry doesn't mean I'm going to hand him over to anyone – especially not the Dark Lord."

"We know that," Neville declared and reached over to touch his shoulder, "but we don't want to lose you anymore then we want to lose him."

The group stood in their circle with frowns and shaded eyes for a long while.

"What are you guys doing?" questioned a voice and they looked up to find Snape standing next to them with Charity hovering over his shoulder. The words had a certain tone to them that made it clear they'd come from Snape.

"It's a nice day out. I figured you would all be outside," mused Charity. "Why don't you all go out there instead of keeping yourself cooped up like this? Haven't you had enough of being inside?"

Harry plastered on a smile, "Draco and Ii were just headed to find Seamus and Dean. We were going to see if they wanted to play

"I'm going to the library," Hermione declared, catching onto what Harry was getting at. "I want to look at a few more things before the school year ends." Ron nodded and shifted into her in a way that said he planned on joining her.

"Neville's going to the Greenhouse for a little bit before the third years go take their exam," Blaise declared with a jab towards him, "so I'm going to walk over there with him before I catch up with Hermione and Ron. I still have to beat the Ravenclaw champion in Wizard's chess and she's sure to be there."

"Well don't spend too much time in the library," Charity declared and pressed a kiss to Hermione's head. "It's not good to be cooped up like that all the time." She reached across to ruffle Neville's hair as well. "I should get going then. I've got a Sixth Year exam to give." As she walked away, she turned back to call, "Don't forget to get those papers for me, Sev!"

Snape just grunted in reply before turning to Neville, "I've looked over your exam briefly and it seemed fine."

"R-Really?" Neville stuttered out, relief flooding his tone. "I'm so glad!"

"Yes well, I haven't looked at your potion yet," Snape declared, "but you should get a well enough grade even if you completely tanked it." With a twirl of his cloak, he took off down the other end of the hallway.

Harry waited until Snape had rounded a corner to whisper, "Take different ways to the common room. It's better to talk there."

They all nodded before breaking away.

(-)

When Blaise and Neville emerged into the common room, the others were already sitting around the room.

Hermione was sitting on the far left of the couch with Draco laying across the couch, his head n her lap, and Harry between her legs with his head resting against her knee. Ron sat on Draco's shins.

Crossing the room, Neville sat down on Harry's right and Blaise seated himself across from the group on the table.

"So," Blaise declared. "What do we do?"

"Do you think they'll try anything tonight?" mused Hermione.

"I don't' see why not," Ron drawled. "If I were them I'd try and do it today. There's only a week until school ends for the year and then they won't be able to do anything until next year."

There was silence for a moment before Harry said, "Then we should intercept them. We know how to keep ourselves safe from Fluffy."

"No!" snapped Neville and the whole group stared silently at him. His cheeks turned bright red but he didn't take it back. "I don't... Whoever is helping Voldemort is going to be insanely strong – it's likely one of the professors after all! – and we're just first years. There's no way we can fight them!"

When none of them said anything, he gripped onto Harry's arm, "Harry, please. Promise me you won't go after them."

Harry was silent for a while and with every passing second Neville's nails dug a little deeper and his worry built a little higher. Finally Harry nodded, "Okay. I promise."

(-)

"I feel bad sneaking out like this," whispered Ron as he followed Harry and Hermione down the steps.

Harry glanced at him, "You could always go right back upstairs, you both can. But I have to do this."

"Of course I'm coming," Hermione huffed. "You wouldn't know what to do without me."

"I'm coming too," Ron agreed. "I just feel bad sneaking out like this, Neville was so worried about you. God knows Draco and Blaise will be unbearable too."

Harry opened his mouth to answer when –

_Croak. Croak._

"Aaa-" Hermione's scream was cut off by Ron's hand over her mouth and his eyes narrowing in a glare.

"It's just Trevor," Harry stated, crossing to the armchair were the frog sat. Scooping it into his hands, he pushed past Ron and Hermione as they stepped off the last step and placed Trevor on the steps. "Go upstairs now. Neville ill be glad to see you in the morning."

"I already know where he is." Harry's back stiffened. After a moment, he straightened up and turned around to find Neville on the other side of the room watching all three of them. "Ii won't let you go. You're going to get hurt and I couldn't possibly…"

"Oh Neville," Hermione sighed and went to take a step forward.

Neville took a step back, "Don't."

Hermione bit her lip before saying a soft, "I'm so sorry, Neville…"

"What do you-"

"_Petetrificus Totalus!" _

Ron and Harry were there to catch him as he fell to the floor. There was a hint of betrayal in his eyes that forced Harry to look away as he helped Ron carry Neville to the couch.

"The spell will wear off in a few hours," Hermione declared as she propped pillow up under his head. "If we're not back by then, please don't come looking for us. Just find Professor Burbage or Professor Snape and tell them what happened and make sure the boys know how much we love them."

She pressed a kiss to his forehead before hurrying over to Ron and Harry as they ducked out the room.

"You a little scary you know that?" Ron declared. "Bloody brilliant but scary."

**E/n: **Last chapter next! Are all of you okay with me skipping to the after effects of what happened because I'm sure we all know what happened down there.

Also: what were your thoughts on the story over all? What would you like to see change in the next book? And during the summer – would you like to see Harry at the Dursley's or focus on what we don't know? Which character/relationships do you want to see more of? Less of?

I've tried to keep a lot of Ron's lines the same during this book because First Year!Ron was my favorite. He was sassy and funny with none of the jealousy he develops later on.


	16. Chapter 15: Say Goodbye to Puppy Piles

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 15: Puppy Piles **

Ron's whole body ached as he regained consciousness.

"Ugh," he groaned as his eyes fluttered open. He went to move his hand towards his head but it wouldn't budge. It took another moment for him to recognize the warmth spread across his arm and chest was a person.

Steeling himself against the pain that shot up his body, Ron pushed himself up and looked around the hospital wing. The body draped over him was Blaise with drool dripping on to Ron's jeans in a way that completely contradicted his usual elegance while in a bed across the room Draco slept in a chair next to Harry's bed while Neville and Hermione were sleeping against Harry's legs.

"Oh jesus Harry," sighed Ron when he saw all the tiny cuts and bruises littering Harry's body. He wasn't sure whether Madam Pomfey had already taken care of the bigger wounds or if there hadn't been any but just what he could see made anger swell in him.

He was getting ready to shove Blaise off him and try to wake across to check on Harry when the door swung open.

Charity stood in the doorway with a large white box with swirling orange and pink letters reading Dunkin Donuts and a holder of large cups with the same logo. She was wearing muggle clothes clothing – a pair of white jeans and a pink sweater with looping designs on it.

"So I popped over the nearest muggle town and bought-" she stopped when she saw him. "Oh my god Ronald!" The boxes tumbled from her hands and she launched herself across the room, wrapping him in a hug.

Her scream and his movement as she pulled him into a hug woke the others in the room.

"Thank Merlin your awake," Blaise muttered when he finally blinked the sleep away and his brain cleared enough for him to process that what he was looki5g at was not a dream.

"Now if only Harry would too…" sighed Neville.

A lump raised in Ron's throat," Harr hasn't woken up yet?"

"No," Snape declared and Ron watched as he floated the levitating boxes over to a table. "But I'm going to make sure he does."

(-)

"Mother fucking ass-" Blaise cursed as Hermione and Neville usher him out of the room. He heard the click of the lock as Dumbledore shut it and twisted to glare viciously at it. "This is such bullshit! This is partly Dumbledore's fault and he gets to see Harry first?! We've been in there for a week damn it!"

"Shhh Blaise," hushed Hermione, her hand firm on his bicep. "You can't go around saying things like that."

"He's got a point," Ron snorted. "Harry is our friend, we should be there when he wakes up."

Neville sighed, "I don't like this either Blaise but we can't go against what Dumbledore says."

Hermione turned, gaping, at him, "What are you talking about? We should trust Dumbledore more than anyone else!"

"Maybe this is the way I was raised talking," Draco spoke, his lips pursed together, "but I don't trust him. There's too much mystery surrounding what I know about Dumbledore for me to feel comfortable with it."

Ron nodded, "I get what you mean. I was raised to think he was the greatest wizard next to Merlin but sometimes it's all a little too strange for me…"

(-)

Dumbledore has barely left the room before the group pushes their way into the room again.

Harry sits up, avoiding getting his head banged against the wall, just as Draco flies across and learns stomach down on his legs. He bangs his forehead hard against Harry's shin and she doubles over to grab it as they both hiss in pain.

"If you ever pull that again, it'll hurt way worse!" Draco exclaimed as he rubbed at his forehead.

"Smooth move ace," snorted Blaise as he climbed onto the bed as well, sitting with his back against Harry's feet and his legs slung over Draco. "Hurt yourself while hurting the already injured kid."

"Oh Harry," Hermione sighed as she took the empty spot on his left and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I was so worried about you. I shouldn't have let you go alone."

"I had to," Harry muttered into her hair. "I'm glad I did. I never would have forgiven myself if something had happened to you…"

Ron climbed onto the other side and crossed his feet over Draco's shoulder blades, "Charity and Snape were here earlier but I guess still have stuff they need to do with like the fifth and seventh years since OWLs and NEWTS take a lot out of the school year. They said they'd be back later though."

They fell silent after a minute, all of their eyes closed as they reveled in each other's prescene before Harry realized there wasn't going to be a fifth shift of the bed. He frowned at Neville, "Aren't you…?"

"Oh um…" Neville's cheeks heated. "It's a little crowed don't you think?"

"Blasphemy!" Blaise exclaimed. Harry watched with amusement as the darker boy reached out and pulled Neville onto his lap.. He struggled for a minute but eventually resigned himself to leaning into Blaise'' chest and lying one leg inbetween Blaise's and the other outside.

"Fine, fine," Neville mumbled, voice already growing sleepy as his worries about Harry drifted away and the fact that he'd been up constantly for the past two weeks set in. "But we're not sleeping like this very long."

"Mhm…" Draco hummed. "Are you telling us or trying to convince yourself?"

"Shush Malfoy," laughed Ron and pressed his heel a little into Draco's shoulder. "You're going to give him ideas."

(-)

"Wow," breathed Blaise as he wrestled Hermione's trunk onto a trolley for her. The others gathered around him, waiting until the absolutely last moment to separate to try and find their families. "I can't believe it's already the end of first year."

"I really fucking hope next year isn't as dramatic as this year," huffed Ron sitting on the edge of Draco's trunk as the blonde stood on top it searching for the insanely blonde heads of his parents.

"No switching houses!" called Draco with a glance at Blaise.

"Or getting attacked," Ron added with a significant glance at Harry.

Hermione sent them glares that made them shrug and add in unison, "Just telling the truth."

"I can see my gran," piped in Neville as he hopped off his own trunk. "I should go meet up with her."

Neither of them moved for a minute before Harry sighed, "This is harder than it was at Christmas."

"Two weeks is nothing compared to three months," agreed Hermione.

Blaise hummed, "Then we just have to make sure it's not three months."

While the others mumbled and nodded agreements, Harry looked at them with a frown. He wished he could agree, could guarantee he wouldn't be locked under a cupboard all summer.

"Something wrong, Harry?" questioned Ron, patting his friends calf.

He gave a weak smile that he hoped didn't look as fake as it felt, "No." Ron stared at him for a moment but didn't say anything.

It was another moment before any of made a move. When they finally did, it was Draco hopping off his trunk and swatting at Ron, "You're brothers are headed our way."

Ron sighed, "Guess I'll go meet them." They exchanged tight hugs before he grabbed his trunk and took off towards an approaching mob of red hair.

"I'll go catch Gran then," Neville declared.

Draco nudged Blaise with an elbow, "Do you want a ride?"

"Sure," Blaise agreed. He pressed a kiss to Hermione's forehead and ruffled Harry's hair before slinging an arm around Draco's shoulders, "Let's go find your parents then dude."

Hermione and Harry watched them leave for a minute before Hermione smiled at him, "Do you want to walk out together? Your uncle and aunt will be here now right?"

Harry chewed on the inside of his cheeks as he answered, "Oh yeah, totally."

**E/n: **Eeeep! It's finished! I can't believe we've already worked through book One!

So um, a few notes:

Slytherin DID win the house in this one. I've **never **liked what Dumbledore did to them in that scene – you can just see Draco's face fall.

This is your last chance to tell me what you'd like to see during Summer break and anything you want next year.

I hope you'll all keep reading the story!


	17. Chapter 16: Summer Year One

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House **

**Chapter 16: Summer Year One**

_June _

Ron laid on his bed with his eyes shut tight, trying to ignore the throbbing in his head and the noises fluttering around the house. After spending so much time at Hogwarts with only five other kids constantly around him, it was hard to go back to the loud bangs and voices of his house.

He was trying to convince himself to get up and go get a sandwich or something to stop the rumbling in his stomach when there was a knock on his door. The person didn't wait for him to call out to them, before entering the room. For a moment Ron could make out the voices of others around the house, "_Fred I told you not to put frogs in Percy's room!" _ Or the loud noise of Ginny's music from her room before the door closed again.

"Mom says you haven't been out much since you got home." Charlie voice flowed through the room deep and rough but smooth like chocolate at the same time. "She's worried about you, you know?"

"Thought you were in Norway," Ron muttered into his pillow instead of answering the question.

He felt his bed dip as his older brother, his favorite brother because Charlie was nice, manly, brave, and everything Ron wanted to be settled onto the bed, "I got a job transporting a Hungarian Horntail from Hungary to Romania next week before I start a permanent job there. Now come on, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's _wrong,"_ Ron exclaimed, turning to look at him. Charlie was taller than when he'd last seen him and he swore his hair had gotten a shade brighter. Some things hadn't changed though, like the way Charlie's eyes made him think of chocolate frogs or the way he wore various shades of browns and tans so the dirt on his clothes would be less noticeable. Ron watched as brotherly worry seeped into Charlie's eyes before finally flipping off his stomach. He shifted so he was looking up at the ceiling before saying, "Nothing's wrong, I swear. It's just…different."

"I don't think I follow," Charlie hummed. "Fred and George are still obnoxious, Percy is still uptight, and Ginny is still…well Ginny."

"It's not them," he answered with a shake of his head. "Tigerlily…it's like a second family. It's quieter at Hogwarts for me because I spend most of my time with the same five people and two of which – sometimes three depending on how much Draco's pushed Harry's bullshit meter for the day – don't talk very much. I mean, I have other friends too but it's all them. It's just hard to adjust to all of this again."

"Hey now," Charlie chided and slapped Ron's hip. "No sounding more grown up then Bill."

"Is he coming back this summer?"

"Hell if I know," the elder snorted. "Last time I talked to him was when I was in Nigeria. He was ranting about how frustrating Goblins were." There was a moment of silence before Charlie said, "Ron, its okay to let your friends become your family, just don't push us away. The twins – Fred and George are really upset about you not talking to them all year okay? They care about you in their own goofy way and I think even Percy is a bit concerned about you."

(-)

Blaise dipped his finger into the harness around his waist and adjusted it a bit. Watching Robert hook his own cords to his harness, he said, "You know when I said I didn't understand what was so fun about bungee jumping, I didn't mean I wanted to do it right away."

"Oh well," Robert laughed with a shrug of his shoulders. "This way we can spend some time together, you can do something fun this summer, and you can test out rock climbing."

Blaise just hummed as he messed with the straps and buckles. "Are you sure this is going to hold me? Isn't it going to snap when it stops me?"

"Are you worried?" Robert questioned with a side glance over at Blaise. He bent down in front of Blaise and retightened any of the straps Blaise had undone. "I've done this a million times and I weigh a lot more then you. I promise everything will be okay." Blaise didn't say anything, she he pressed a fist lightly against Blaise's chin to get his eyes to meet hi. "Hey, we don't have to do this okay? We can take everything off and never speak of it again."

As Robert reached to undo the straps Blaise made a split decision and reached out, stopping him. "No," he declared with a shake of his head. "I want to do it."

The man hesitated, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Blaise responded with a nod. "I trust you."

(-)

Hermione bit on her fingernails, her feet swinging as she waited for someone to pick up on the other end.

"Ugh Sev did you butt dial me again? I honestly don't know why-"

"Um…Professor?" Hermione cut in, tapping her fingers against the stone steps.

"Oh!" there was the clacking of pots falling and some muttered curses before Charity added, "Hello Hermione."

"Is this a bad time?" Hermione questioned.

"Of course not darling. What's on your mind?"

"Well Harry hasn't replied to any of my letters and I checked with the others, they haven't gotten replies either. After what happened at school I just…"

Charity must have read her intentions because she answered, "I'll call Professor McGonagall and get his information from her. If he doesn't reply to my letter I'll go check up on him okay?"

"Thank you…"

"Anytime dear. It's been far too long since we've had a girl talk, why don't you tell me about your summer?"

_August_

Draco was lounging in his swimming trunks on the roof of Malfoy Manor, Tonks in her bikini next to him with her hair the color of the sun and her eyes covered by a pair of heart shaped sunglasses since his father was gone on a business trip, when his mother stuck her head in the door, "Draco there's someone on the phone for you."

"Don't hog the sun while I'm gone," he 3eclared as he rolled off his chair.

"I'll try not to," Tonks replied with a laugh. "But my body is a magnet for hot things, you know?"

"You think your funny and you're really not!" Draco called over his shoulder as he took the phone from his mother and closed the door to the roof behind him. He waited until his mother had disappeared down to the third floor before holding it up to his ear, "Yello?"

"Hey assmunch why are you avoiding me?"

Draco blinked several times, "Theo?"

"Yeah. You know, one of your best friends who you ignored for absolutely no reason during the school year and have continued to ignore this summer."

"I'm not avoiding you," Draco declared.

Theo made an outraged sound on the other end of the line, "Then what do you call not talking to me, turning corners whenever I'm coming down the hallway, and not answering my phone calls! I'm pretty sure the only reason I got through this time is because you're mom answered the phone."

"I'm not avoiding you," Draco replied, his voice going softer. "I just didn't think you'd want to talk to me since I wasn't…you know?"

Theo was silent for a minute and a pang of fear ran down Draco's spine because Theo was one of his best friends. Losing Theo was one of the only things he hated about Tigerlily.

"How is even possible that your this stupid?" Theo said finally, his voice angry. "I'm coming over. I'm going to kick your ass and then we're going to hang out. Afterwards, I'm going to kick Blaise's ass for doing the same bullshit as you."

"W-What? Theo your parents' will-"

He was cut off by the click of Theo hanging up on him.

His mouth dropped open. A moment later he heard his mother snicker from down the stairs, "Theo always did do whatever he wanted."

(-)

Harry's hands instinctively reached for his wand, his cheek bruising from a fist connecting with his cheekbones, and immediately deflated when it wasn't there. As Vernon advanced on him, a grin spread across his face when he realized how helpless Harry was without his wand, a nervous Petunia entered the doorway.

"H-Honey his t-teachers-"

"You know, Tunie," a familiar low voice drawled out and a spark of hope raised in Harry. "You weren't very elegant as child but I would have thought you could do better than this pig."

"What did you call me-?" Mr. Dursley began to object and he took a step towards Snape as the potions professor pushed past Petunia and into the kitchen.

Durlsey froze in his tracks and as Snape dropped to his knees in front of Harry examining the bruises he's accumulated on his arms and face since returning to the Dursley's that summer, Harry looked up to find Charity standing behind Petunia with her wand out and a frown on her face.

"Please don't raise a fist to either of them," Charity said.

The way Petunia shook in fear brought a bit of a smile to Harry's face, but it was wiped out when Snape touched a spot where his arm jutted out. Harry's previous suspicions about it were confirmed when Snape growled, "Broken…"

Bloody dripped from Charity's lip, "I know you said there are wards to keep things out but those can't protect him from what's already in…"

There was a long silent moment were the two of them looked at each other before Snape stood up "Harry go get some of your things together. We can pick the rest up later," with a meaningful glance at Petunia he added, "forcefully if we have too."

Harry was silent for a minute, wondering if this was really happening before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to find Charity had crossed to him, "Come on. I'll give you a hand."

"Oh um..okay," he agreed with a nod. "They um…they locked my magic stuff up."

"They locked-" her voice was sharp in a way that he hadn't heard before.

"I'll take care of it, Charity," Snape cut in. "Just help the boy so we can get out of here are fast as possible."

As Charity began leading him out of the room, she said, "I guess this means I'm accepting his invitation to move in…."

(-)

"Neville!" exclaimed Crystal as Neville walked into the hospital. The nurse stepped out from behind the reception desk and enveloped him in a hug. "I haven't seen you the past few days! Where have you been lately?"

"My…brother," Neville declared slowly, "needed some help with things."

Crystal titled her head, "You have a brother?"

A small smile graced Neville's features "Yeah, four them and a sister too." Before she could ask why they didn't visit, he made a motion with his hand, "are my parents awake? I wanted to see them for a bit before I went back to help paint."

"Oh um…I think so. Your Aunt Meredith is back there right now."

"Thank you," Neville said with a nod of his head before he took off down the hallway to see them.

**E/n: **I WANTED TO WRITE CHARLIE OKAY? AND HARRY GETTING OUT OF THE DURSLEYS! AND BLAISE GETTING A FATHER. AND FUCKING THEODORE NEEDED TO BE IN MY STORY OKAY? AND NEVILLE REALIZING HE COULDN'T LET HIS PARENTS ACCIDENT DEFINE HIS LIFE. AND HERMIONE BEING A WORRIED MOTHER.

AND JUST…

I LOVE THIS CHAPTER A LOT OKAY?

_Next time: The Hogwarts Express and what the hell is the deal with Charity and Snape living together?_


	18. Chapter 17: half Parent feels, half Luna

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 17: Half Parental Feels, Half Luna feels. **

It was strange for Harry how easy he fit into the house with Snape and Charity.

They painted his room red, Snape had sneered and said something about Gryffindors but Charity had called it a lovely color and helped him paint the Tigerlily symbol on the far hall, and ripped the carpet out for the shiny hardwood underneath.

It felt like…home.

He was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about just how different life was, when the door creaked open. He turned on his side, expecting to see Charity with a grin on her face and words on her lips but found Snape standing with a box in his hand instead.

"Oh!" Harry squeaked and sat up quickly, running his chores through his head in an attempt to remember what he had forgot.

"Ii um…" Snape coughed. "I remember how you asked me a while ago if I could tell you about your mother. I don't have any of your father but I could at least let you look at the ones I have of Lily. She's young in most of them though."

"Oh! Thank you!" Not wanting to push it, he waited until Snape had placed the box in his lap to rip the cover off, he dumped the photos onto the bed and a mixture of Muggle and wizard pictures looked up at him.

_Lily on a swing with her head tilted back Ldressed in a Halloween costume with Petunia and Snape on either side, Lily twirling in wizards rbe, Lily jumping around after a successful curse. _

She was so happy in all of them.

Tears sprung to his eyes and he couldn't help muttering, "Oh god, this is my fault."

Snape apparently hadn't left the room yet because he said, "It's not…your fault Harry. There are men ten times more responsible for your moth-your parents death then you."

"Who? Because the way I'm seeing it, if I'd never been born they would have lived."

"The man who sold them out and the man who said that curse are the only ones to blame for your parents death," Snape declared, placing a hand on Harry's back. For some reason Harry found himself just as comforted by it as he was by Charity's soft hugs.

(-)

Blaise sat on the steps of the mansion with his trunk under him and his bag next to him. His mother sat next to him while Robert was gone for the last week on a dig, he'd said goodbye to Blaise and made him promise to write this year over dinner the night before.

"Mother" Blaise said after a long moment. She didn't say anything, just turned to look at him. "Please don't- I mean…"

His mother was silent for a minute before she said, "I know you don't remember, Blaise, but your father wwas…very important to me. H wasn't my first husband, but he was the first one I actually loved. Despite what you might think, I did not kill him."

"Then how…?"

"He was visiting a Muggle Library I was always against it but he said there was something's the wizarding world simply didn't understand," she gave a dry laugh. "He was always such a Ravenclaw. I can't even fathom why he loved me like he did." There was a long pause before she picked up her story, "I don't know why they attacked a muggle library, its silly they don't even have money there do they?, but someone brought a gun and your father was…He was shot. He couldn't very well preform healing magic in front of a whole library of muggles and by the time anyone got there he was already…"

Blaise didn't know what to say. He'd always thought his father had been just another unfortunate victum of his mother's greed.

Luckily, he didn't have to say anything because she went on, "Robert reminds me of him. He's smart, nice, and so in love with both of us. But then there was subtle differences that make me love him as well. I know I've messed up a lot with you Blaise, but Robert has helped me to realize that. I want us to be…I want us to be a family."

There were tears in her eyes that broke his heart. He leaned over and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, he couldn't remember the last time he'd done that, and muttered into her skin "I love you Mom."

Her voice was rough with tears as she choked out, "I love you too Blaise."

(-)

The first words out of Snape's mouth when he entered Dumbledore's office was, "I'm not sending him back to that place."

Dumbledore didn't beat an eye as he shot back, "You have to. They might not treat him the best-"

"You knew they hit him! You told me he would be safe there!"

"And he was!" Dumbledore exclaimed his voice loud and powerful. Snape's mouth snapped shut with a click. "There is more protection on that house then there is on the Ministry of Magic!"

"Charity and I have put more than enough-" he stopped when he noticed the way Dumbledore was looking at him with a hint of amusement. "What?"

"Charity and you huh?" teased the elder man.

Snape felt himself blush from his neck to the roots of his hair, "Her lease was running out! I wasn't going to let her be homeless and now that Harry is staying with us it just makes-"

"I'm glad," Dumbledore declared, reaching across to pat his arm. "You needed to move on at some point." Snape went to say something but he was cut off by Dumbledore going on, "Moving on doesn't mean forgetting, Severus. You would be so much sadder, so much angrier, if it wasn't for Charity." There was a distant look in his eyes and he said "Heaven knows, I would know that."

(-)

"Did you find Ron and Harry?" questioned Neville as Hermione entered the compartment him, Draco, and Blaise sat in.

Hermione shook her head as she reclaimed her seat next to Neville, "No. Dean and Seamus said they hadn't seen them either."

"I could go ask Theo or Pansy?" Draco suggested. "Maybe he wandered down there?"

Blaise shook his head, "No, Neville already asked some of the Hufflepuffs and the Slytherins tend to sit between them and the Gryffindors."

There was silence for a moment before Draco said, "Maybe we're just blowing this out of proportion. They're probably just running late…" None of them said anything, but it was clear none of them believed it either.

They sat in worried silence for a while before Draco stood up. Blaise watched him with dark eyes, "Where are you going?"

"For a walk. I can't just sit around like this."

"Don't do anything stupid," Blaise warned.

There wasn't a response as the door closed behind the blonde.

(-)

"Someone would tell us if they were dead right?" Hermione questioned for the millionth time. Her grip was tight on Blaise's arm and he was beginning to wish the goblets were filled with Fire Whiskey instead of pumpkin juice. "Right, Blaise?"

"Of course Hermione," he answered as he had the last million times. "But I highly doubt their dead. They probably just missed the train."

Neville sighed as he had each time, "Ronald's brothers don't look concerned though so maybe we really have just been blowing it out of proportions."

Draco added his own section of the repeating conversation, "But Snape, Charity, and McGonagall are gone from the head table."

There was a moment of silence before the conversation could restart itself. Within that moment, McGonagall called, "Luna Lovegood."

"If they-" Hermione began.

"Tigerlily!"

Their heads all snapped around to find a girl with hair an almost white-blonde and pale skin. She seemed to be floating across the floor rather then walking.

"Hello!" she declared in a voice like bells as she sat down next to Draco. "I'm Luna."

There was a beat of silence before Hhermione managed to get her wits together, "Hello, Luna. Sorry if we seem rude, we just weren't really expetingt his."

"That's fine. I mean, this must be a shock for you."

Draco sighed, "It's just been a bad day."

(-)

"Oh thank god!" exclaimed Hermione when they arrived in the common room to find Harry and Ron waiting for them. She launched herself away from the group to wrap the two in a hug, but pulled back when they both hissed with pain. "What did I do? Are you okay?"

"We're fine, we're fine," Harry assured, patting her back. "Ron just drove us into the whomping willow."

"I did not drive us into it!" he objected.

"I'm more concerned with the driving part," huffed Blaise. The look Ron sent him was one of pure hatred, but Blaise just laughed it off as he pulled the redhead into a hug.

"Don't ever do that again," grumbled Neville as he gave Harry a hug of his own.

"I'll maim you if you do," Draco huffed. He rocked back on his heels, not intending on giving either of them a hug when they'd made him worry for much. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Luna hanging back by the doorway. "Oh! Guys."

He spun around, pulling her away from the door and pushing her towards the group. "This is Luna Lovegood. She is one of us now."

Harry's mouth dropped into an O while Ron gave her a nod before looking at Hermione, "Did you happen to catch where Ginny…?"

"Oh! I was so busy worrying about…" she trailed off as Ron's face dropped. "I'm so sorry."

"Are you perhaps talking about Ginny Weasley…?" Luna asked with a tilt of her head.

"Yeah he's her brother," Blaise declared with a thumb jabbed in Ron's direction. "Hey, 'Mione did you bring any muggle DvD's with you? I could go for one right about now."

"Ginny was sorted into Gryffindor" Luna reported.

Ron nodded before straightening and clapping his hands together, "Screw movies. Let's play some wizards chess."

"Could I perhaps play the winner?" questioned Luna as she followed Blaise and Ron to the table. "I'm not the best at it but I do enjoy it quite a bit."

As the trio sat themselves around the table, dissolving into conversation about strategy and a chess set Charlie had brought from Norway for Ron, Harry leaned against the arm of the couch and let his eyes flutter shut. When he leaned over, he pulled Hermione down with him and she burrowed herself into his side.

"Does it still hurt?" she questioned.

Harry hummed, "Not a lot."

They were silent for a minute, listening as Draco wandered over to the table and began telling Blaise what moves to make and Ron's insistence that it was cheating and Luna struck up a conversation with Neville about a garden she had, before Hermione grabbed a blanket from the end of the couch and draped it over the two of them.

"She's going to fit right in," commented Harry.

Hermione pressed her lips together as she messed with their feet, "I know. I'm just a bit worried about her being all alone during classes…"

**E/n: **Luna and Book two and Dumbledore! Hooray~!

Harry living with Snape and Charity could potentially change A LOT in Book Three is you think about it…


	19. Chapter 18: Families we wanted and-

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 18: **Family we wanted and Friends who misunderstand

Frankly, Luna hadn't had a lot of human contact for the first eleven years of her life. She didn't have any siblings and once her mother had died, her father had become a bit of a recluse.

Initially, she's afraid she might make a mistake or say something she shouldn't say. Although she does make mistakes and say things she shouldn't say, her housemates never laugh at her or tease her.

She realized within the first week of school why that was.

Tigerlily was isolated from the rest of the school. Their common room was far from everything else in the school, their lunch table was behind the Gryffindor's, and their class schedules (which had only been distributed) thrown together randomly in whatever class lacked students.

A few times, Luna had seen Harry and Ron speaking to an Irish boy and an African American boy (she learned quickly that Dean and Seamus were never far apart), Hermione poured over books with Ravenclaws, Draco and Blaise leaning against each other as they spoke to a dark haired Slytherin (Theo, she would learn), or Neville with a group of Hufflepuffs but the group tended to stay together.

They always made sure to include her as well.

If she shied away while they were all wrapped around each other in front of Hermione's portable dvd player, Blaise would grab her ankle and pull her on top of him and if she was sitting at the table watching them play Wizard's chess Ron always made sure to talk to her between moves.

Having spent most of her childhood alone though, she found herself feeling a bit suffocated. She was so used to being alone that it was hard to switch into this.

But she found herself preferring this, it was almost better to be suffocated with attention then starved of it.

(-)

As soon as they had arrived back at Hogwarts, Professor Sprout had given Neville keys to the Greenhouse with instructs to just "clean up if you make a mess".

He was in the Greenhouse, watering plants potted for the fifth years second month of classes and taking mental notes on its properties when he heard the door slide open. He looked up saying, "Professor Sprout isn't-"

Neville stopped when he found it was just Blaise strolling towards him his hands in his pockets. Blaise flashed a bright grin as he leaned against the other side of the table, "Hey Nev."

"Do you want something?" Neville questioned with a tilt of his head. "You don't usually come out here unless-"

Blaise shook his head, "Nah. I just haven't spent a lot of time with you lately. We're always together just never…us. It's obvious we're still suffering from separation anxiety." He shrugged, "I just miss it I guess."

Neville was silent for a while before he set the watering can down, "I worked hard to convince Professor Sprout to let me do this but-"

"No, no go ahead," Blaise declared, waving his hand. "Do your stuff. I just want to stay with you while you do."

He hesitated for a minute before picking the pail up again. Their silent for a minute as Neville moved around the table before he said, "So how are you feeling? I heard Theodore left some pretty nasty bruises on you when I was at Draco's."

"Oh man did he!" laughed Blaise. "I still have this giant purple one on my side, wanna see?"

"Wha-" The can toppled from Neville's hands as he raced towards Blaise who was lifting his shirt. "Blaise that was weeks ago! You shouldn't still have a bruise!"

He dropped down to his knees, running gentle fingertips across Blaise's side that sent shivers up the others spine as he watched for any sign of Blaise flinching.

"Oh!" squeaked a voice and they both turned to see Susan and Hannah standing in the doorway with bright red faces. Susan, who had spoken, grabbed a stunned Hannah's arm and began pulling her back, "We're uh…sorry to intrude. We'll come back later then, Neville."

Blaise blinked after them as they left, "What's with them?"

"Who knows," Neville sighed, used to the antics of the girls he hung around outside Tigerlily. "Come on, we should get this checked out by Madam Pomfey."

(-)

"Be careful when you walk up and down the stairs," Hermione instructed as she fussed with Luna's robes. "If you have any trouble finding the common room after classes tell a teacher and they'll help you or come find one of us. Our head of house is Professor Burbage but she's been busy with sixth years asking why they failed their OWLs so you should ask Professor Snape if you have any other questions."

Ron snorted from where he sat on the couch, "Why don't you just hold her hand all the way there?"

"Of course I couldn't Ronald!" Hermione snapped. "We have to get to Herbology."

There was a moment of silence before Luna said, "I'll be okay Hermione."

Draco ruffled his fellow blonde's hair as he passed to grab his bag from the table, "Of course you will. I'll hex anyone who touches you. Blondes got to stick together."

"Only because you're all so stupid," Blaise teased.

Harry rolled his eyes as the two began fighting before he addressed Luna, "Make some friends okay? You'll need some your own age."

"Just make sure their not Slytherin!" put in Ron. "They broke Neville's arm and leg last year."

Neville's eyebrows knitted together, "But I fell off a broom. I don't think any of the Slytherins had anything to do with it?"

"Oh! And when you have your first flying lesson make sure you listen to what you're told!" Hermione exclaimed as she finally pulled away

"Listen to my teachers, Professor Snape, moving staircases, make friends that Draco will not beat up," Luna ticked off with her fingers. She smiled afterwards, "Seems easy enough."

Draco snorted, "You'd think so wouldn't you?"

"I don't purposely go against teachers!" Harry exclaimed, recognizing that the jab was directed towards him. "I can't control it if staircases turn me towards giant dogs or the dark lord hates me."

"I'd ask," Luna drawled, "but I don't really think I'd understand."

Blaise patted her shoulder as he passed, ducking out the door towards Herbology with Neville, "Good choice, babes."

(-)

"Draco!" called Harry, tripping over his feet as he attempted to get away from Colin and catch up with his housemate. Blaise had stayed behind with Professor Sprout, waiting for Neville to wake up, while Hermione and Ron had gone straight to class without waiting for him. "Draco come on! Why are you mad at me!?"

He didn't reply.

Harry groaned, trying to understand why Draco was suddenly being so cold when just a few minutes ago everything had been okay. "Is this because I threw that dirt at you?"

"You didn't do anything!" Draco exclaimed. Other students in the hallway turned to look at them at this, making their way past with raised eyebrows and whispered conversations. "And that's the issue! I've been trying my whole life to get my father to look at me like stranger look at you! And you didn't do _anything _to deserve that!"

Harry was so stunned by the declaration that he just watched Draco walk away. By the time he finally got his thoughts together the hallway was mostly clear of other students except for the stray fifth or sixth year with a free period.

Even though Draco was long gone and the bell had already rung, Harry muttered, "But I don't want any of this…"

**E/n: **Ahhhh! I'm a horrible person I am so sorry! I did not mean for Draco to do that he just did! OH MY GOD. And Blaise and Neville with Susan and Hannah xD -They'll be back FYI.

Now is there any character you guys would like to see more of? Ginny is, frankly, not a character I like or feel comfortable writing but if you would like to see more of her I guess I could grin and bear it.

I'm planning on some more appearances from the twins – is Percy still in school? I can't remember when he graduates ugh – and Colin Ceevy. Dean and Seamus will be back, Theo will be popping up in the flesh, and more Tonks during breaks.

Idk. What do you guys want to see?

_**Next time: **__Things are rocky between Harry and Draco, Luna has an issue, and Dean may actually murder Seamus. _


	20. Chapter 19: Broken Noses and Screaming-

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 19: Broken Noses and Shouting Matches. **

"Is this common?" questioned Luna, glancing between Draco and Harry who had sat on opposite sides – and as far as possible – of the table from each other. Since she had joined they had been close, right next to each other or across from each other, so it seemed odd to her.

Hermione's voice dripped with worry as she answered, "No. Not at all."

"I wouldn't worry too much," Blaise cut in, more to Hermione then Luna. "Draco's probably being a drama queen again."

"I can hear you," hissed Draco with a glare directed at him.

"You were meant to, princess."

"Leave him alone," Ron declared, reaching across to steal a hash brown from Blaise's plate. "They'll work it out themselves."

Neville jammed an elbow lightly into Ron's ribs, "Hey your brother is-"

"Excuse me," a voice washed through their conversation. Ron made a face before turning around to look at Percy, his head boy badge glittering against his black robes. "If you're not too busy, could I perhaps borrow Ron for a moment?"

Ron considered saying no for a moment but then Charlie's voice flooded through his head _it's okay to let your friends become your family, just don't push us away _and he nodded, "Yeah okay." He stole another hash brown from Blaise's trey before dutifully following Percy out of the room. "See you in detention tonight, Harry."

(-)

Percy led Ron away from the Great Hall in silence for several minutes. Just as Ron's patience was beginning to run out, they rounded a corner to find Fred and George sitting on a staircase – draped over each other in the way they always were.

Ron frowned, "Is this some kind of intervention?"

"Of course not," Percy huffed, placing a hand on Ron's shoulder that kept him from turning around and walking back to his friends.

George snorted from where he laid with his face pressed against the outside of Fred's thigh, it look to Ron as though he was trying to suffocate himself for whatever reason, before turning towards them to say, "This is totally an intervention."

"Objection," Fred hummed in a calm way, Ron wasn't used to Fred being the calm twin. "We don't have anything to intervene yet. We're just warning him in a very scary Mafia boss way."

Percy glowered at both of them, "Don't talk about such things when you don't understand how they work."

"Warning me about what?" groaned Ron. This feeling, this was familiar to him. Being irritated by Fred and George, but loving them all the same. Finding Percy absolutely infuriating with the way he spoke or acted like he knew any better than them but would always sit down and explain it if it was important.

George looked him in the eyes, and it sent shivers down Ron's spine because he never saw either of the twins like this, "If you keep pushing us away we're going to push you off a cliff."

"Wha-?" Percy's voice squeaked. "I didn't agree to-"

"We'll still do it. Even if Percy won't help."

(-)

Harry is sitting in the library by himself, avoiding the common room where he knows Draco is doing his homework because he knows the blonde needs his space, when there was an explosion and the noise in the library suddenly spiked.

"You're such a fucking idiot sometimes!" someone snapped.

"Don't call me an idiot you asshole!" a voice that was so Irish it was hard for Harry not to recognize it – and understand why the other had been so familiar – shouted. Standing up he followed Ms. Pince to the source of the noise.

Dean and Seamus were standing among a stack of reference books, Seamus was red in the face from screaming while Dean's hands were clenched together and his face portraying exhaustion.

"Boys-" the librarian began as she advanced towards them.

"She doesn't even know you exist, Seamus!" Dean snapped. "I won't just stand here and watch you get your heart broken because your being stupid!"

"Then just watch me fucking leave!" Seamus screamed. He gave Dean a hard shove in the chest that sent the taller Gryffindor stumbling back into a bookcase before storming past them all without a word.

There was silent for a minute before Ms. Prince spoke, "Mr. Thomas-"

"Detention I know," Dean sighed waving a hand. She seemed satisfied with the answer because she walked back to her desk, leaving Harry with the Gryffindor as he sunk down to the floor and laid his head back on the book case.

Harry hesitated for a minute before lowering to the floor with him, "What was that all about?"

Dean sighed, turning his head to look at Harry, "Seamus has this stupid crush on one of the forth years and he wants to tell her. I just don't want to see him cry after she rejects him, she's never even looked at him." Harry hummed, not saying anything as Dean laid his head back again. After a moment, he sighed, "I should get going. He's going to make it all the way back to the common room before I catch up at this rate."

"You're going after him?"

"Obviously. Seamus has ridiculous amounts of pride, if I don't apologize we're not going to talk for months."

For some reason, that remaindered Harry of Draco and-

_Oh._

(-)

Luna was walking down the hallway towards the common room, a stack of homework she had to finish that night, in her hands when her feet slipped out from under her. Her nose hit the floor with a painful crunch and the hallways were silent, absent of echoed the groan she let out through it's walls.

She found it hard to peel herself off the floor when blood and pain flowed freely from her nose.

"Oh my gosh!" squeaked a voice. She heard the sound of heels smacking quickly against the floor before soft hands were on her back. "Hey! Hey! Blondie down the hall! Get your butt over here and help me get her to the hospital wing."

"'ust a broken nose," Luna tried half-heartedly.

"Shush!" the girl next to her declared as she helped Luna onto her back. She dug through her bag before producing a wad of tissues, "Here, put these under your nose and tilt your head back. It should help the bleeding until we get you there."

She felt another set of hands join the girls and looked over to find Colin Ceevy with a frown on his face, "I'm not sure I'll be of much help but you can certainly lean on me on the way down." His camera had been spun around to his back, no doubt, to keep the blood off it but he was more than willing to help Luna off the floor and made sure she had an arm around his shoulders before guiding her down the hallway.

The other girl followed after them, occionsally handing Luna a new tissue when the others became too bloodied.

(-)

"Where is Harry?" exclaimed Neville as him and the other second years stepped into the Great Hall. They'd just been to check on Luna in the hospital wing and had promised to bring Harry by to see her afterwards. "He should be done with detention by now."

Ron searched through the crowd before settling his eyes on Draco, "Did the two of you get into a fight again?"

"Shut up," Draco snapped. "You don't understand what's-"

"No I don't," Ron agreed, "but even I can see that you're being stupid. You're supposed to stick by him no matter what Draco. I don't know what he, or you, did but I highly doubt its worth that."

Draco hated when Ron was right.

**E/n: **So interhouse friendship going on with Luna – I'll explain who the girl was in the next chapter (probably) LET'S ALL FREAK OUT ALL OVER AGAIN ABOUT HARRY CHASING VOICES IN A HALLWAY AND MISSING DINNER LIKE WE DID IN THE BOOKS EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T DESCRIBE IT.

_Next time: Somebody may just apologize, Luna may just make friends, and Hermione will definitely fret over Harry. _


	21. Chapter 20: Make up Cuddles and a Trio-

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 20: Make Up Cuddles and a Trio of First Year Blondes. **

"Harry! Are you feeling okay?" exclaimed Hermione as she entered the common room to find him sitting on the couch with his head leaned back and a cloth over his forehead.

Harry hummed, "Yeah. Lockhart made me stay late in detention."

She bit her lip as she lifted the rag from his forehead, "Are you feeling sick?"

He shook his head, "Just insane."

"Harry I'm afraid I don't understand," Neville's eyebrows furrowed as he moved to Harry's other side. "Did he say something to you because he's not exactly-"

"He's perfectly sane," she huffed, shooting Neville a sharp look. "He's sane and brave and-"

"Oh shut up about Lockhart," snapped Ron as he and Blaise set the board up for their nightly chess match. "Harry's telling you he thinks he's gone crazy and you're going into tangents about your crush."

She turned her glare onto him but before she could snap at him, Harry cut in, "Lockhart didn't say anything to me, rather it's what he didn't say. I heard this…voice while I was with him. He didn't hear it."

Draco couldn't help the way he moved towards them a bit, "You're hearing voices? Harry that's not-"

"I don't need you to tell me it's not sane," Harry sighed. "I've already figured that much out myself, thanks."

"Well fine," Draco hissed. "I'm sorry for worrying about you, Potter."

Harry rubbed at his forehead, "I didn't mean it like that." He glanced over at Hermione and she seemed to understand what he was asking because she grabbed Neville by the arm before hustling Ron and Blaise up the stairs. The redhead tried to protest but she slapped him on the arm, whispering a fury of rude words as she pushed him up.

(-)

Luna was nearly asleep when she heard rustling and hushed whispers coming from outside the curtain surrounding her. "Go in first!" exclaimed a voice she recognized as Astoria, the girl who had helped her to the hospital wing in the first place.

"No way," Colin's voice hissed back. "You should-"

She watched as shadowy arms darted from one of the two figures behind the curtain and pushed the other before he stumbled into the room. He looked like he was about to yell at Astoria, but when he caught site of her pushing herself up he flushed red and stammered, "H-Hi Luna."

"Hello Colin," she responded politely. She glanced over at the other females figure, "Would you like to come in as well, Astoria?"

Astoria was silent for a minute before she ducked under the curtain with her face the same red shade as Colin's. "Hello, Luna. Are you um…feeling any better?"

"I am actually!" Luna declared with a large smile. "My housemates came by earlier and we spoke for a bit."

"We saw them when they left," she replied with a small grin of her own. Astoria fidgeted for a minute before she relaxed, just a bit, and sat on the edge of the bed. "Will you be back in class tomorrow or should I bring you your homework?"

"Madam Pomfey told me I would be fine to go back. Thank you for the offer though." They casually for a while before Luna finally felt the bed shift again. Out of the corner of her eye, she realized it was Colin settling onto her other side with a small content smile on his face.

(-)

Harry didn't say anything until he heard the dormitory doors open and close up above. Then he locked his gaze on Draco's and said, "I get that you don't get a lot of attention from your dad-"

"Don't talk about my fath-"

"Shut up and let me talk Draco!" The strangeness of having Harry, of all people, snap at him made Draco's mouth fall closed. "I get that you don't get the attention from him you want okay? And I would give up all of the attention I get if it meant you could get that but I can't! I know I didn't do anything to deserve it and I don't want any of it! I just want you be my friend again!"

Draco was silent for a minute before he grumbled, "Fine. Whatever."

"Don't whatever me," Harry groaned. He stretched out, grabbing Draco's hand and pulling the blonde into his side. Draco gave an indignant squeak but didn't try to wrestle away, instead settling into the feeling of Harry's chest and his chin in his hair.

"This is a low blow," Draco grumbled.

"Shhhhh," Harry hushed with a chuckle. "Just be quiet and enjoy it before they come down thinking we killed each other." Draco hummed as he grabbed the blanket from around their feet and drew it over himself. "Oh hey, Nearly Headless Nick invited me to some ghost party, do you want to come with and I?"

"Ask me when I'm not half asleep."

(-)

Luna would be lying if she said she actually expected this…friendship with Colin and Astoria (mostly the Slytherin girl) to last very long. They had helped her but other than that the three of them hadn't seen much of each other.

So when the next week rolled around and the two of them still sat with her during classes and made an effort to track her down and speak, she was very confused.

"Can I ask you a question?" Luna questioned as she and Astoria trekked to Astronomy tower.

Astoria stopped what she was saying about not understanding what she was doing wrong in Charms and gave Luna a big smile, "Sure!"

"Why do you keep hanging out with me? It's not that I don't love having you and Colin around," she assured when Astoria's face fell. "But a week ago you didn't talk to me, so I don't really understand why that has changed all of a sudden."

The Slytherin pursed her lips for a minute before saying, "I'm honestly not sure. I mean, I don't really connect with the people in my house. I want to be amazing in life, but I don't want to crush everyone on my way. I mean, you'll never be a proper Queen if all your subjects hate you. Something about you – and Colin – just rubs me the right way." She shrugged, "You'd have to ask him for his opinion though."

Luna didn't say anything for a minute before she said, "I think you'd make a supreme Queen, Astoria."

"Wouldn't I?" she laughed. She backtracked the few steps between them and linked their arms. "You can be my…My Knight because Colin's to worried about damaging his camera to get in a fight. So, Knight Lovegood, let's go talk about stars!"

Luna laughed as she picked up her step so she wasn't being dragged by Astoria in her enthusiasm. It was nice to have friends.

(-)

"Got it, got it!" Hermione exclaimed as she entered the common room with a DvD and her player.

The furniture in the room had been swept up by levitating spells and pushed to either side of the room, leaving a giant space in the center where her housemates were already sprawled across.

Harry was leaning against a pile of pillows taken from the couches and beds with an orange blanket covering his legs and Draco's head on his lap, running a hand through the blonde locked. To Harry's right, Blaise laid stomach down with Draco's feet on his butt and Neville sitting criss-cross applesauce next to him. Ron sat on Harry's right with a giant space between the two of them, for her, and Luna lying in his lap with her head turned towards Harry as she spoke to Draco.

"Sweet," Blaise declared, looking away from Neville, "but what exactly is it?"

"The most influential movie of my life," Hermione drawled as she dropped into her spot. "The Lion King!"

As she went about popping in the movie, Luna questioned, "Why do we always watch Disney movies? Aren't there other muggle movie companies?"

"There's Pixar," Harry stated, "but other than that."

"We just don't care," Hermione finished with a smile. "Nothing is as good as Disney and Pixar. Now shush and watch the movie, darling."

**E/n: **Man this chapter and I have been battling it out all week. I didn't want to put the bit about the Chambers opening (I FINALLY GOT MY BOOKS FROM THE BASEMENT FYI AND A REALLY GOOD SPARKNOTES SITE) in this chapter but when I tried leaving it, we were only at like five hundred words! So those last two parts were kind of on the fly.

Yeeeeeeeah so shits getting real next chapter.

_Next Time: The Chamber is opened, Snape and Neville have a conversation, then Neville and Susan have a conversation, and Luna may just get some quality time with Charity finally! _


	22. Chapter 21: The Chamber is Opened and F-

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 21: The Chamber is Open and Fear Rushes Out**

The ghosts chatter is loud in Luna's ears as she sipped her punch, why does a ghost party need punch?, in the corner.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing back here all alone?" Blaise teased as he approached.

Luna smiled a bit before saying, "It's very loud. I'm not used to this quite yet."

"Well then, I guess I don't really have to ask you," Blaise laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulders. She didn't reply out loud, just tilted her head in a silent question. "Ron's feeling queasy from all the headless ghosts and Hermione and Harry have been dragged into a conversation with Moaning Myrtle so we're all ready to get out of here."

She let out a little _oh _before saying, "Yes, I'm ready to leave as well."

"Cool, let's get going then, chickabee."

"Chickabee?"

"Mhm, it's a pet name I guess. You're the only little sister I'll ever have – at least I think so, but hey my mom and Robert could start cranking out kids anytime they wanted – so I'm going to call you every cute name I can come up with. Got it kiddo?"

Luna smiled, leaning into his body as he squeezed her in a one armed hug, "Yeah, I got it."

"Good because it wasn't really negotiable." As he steered her towards Neville, who was in the middle of waving his hands around as he spoke to the Hufflepuff House ghost, something occurred to him. "Hey, you still haven't had a good conversation with Charity out of class have you?"

She shook her head, "No, but I have had a brief conversation with Professor Snape. He told me that a large number of the sixth years failed Professor Burbage's OWL so she's swamped in excuses and retakes but if I had any questions, I should talk to him and that she would be done in a few more days."

"Well then."

(-)

Draco threw his head back, laughing freely as he listened to Hermione complain about Moaning Myrtle. "She just never stops talking!" Hermione groaned. "It's like the whole conversation Has to be about her horrible her life is!"

"Was," Neville corrected with a tiny smile. "She's been dead for quite some time now."

"I never want to be a ghost," Ron declared. "Screw that, I just want to die and not deal with everyone's ugly faces once I'm dead."

Draco opened his mouth to say something about how the real shame would be having to see Ron's face even in the afterlife, only to be cut off by Harry shushing them. After a moment, Hermione spoke softly, "Harry what's wrong?"

"The voice I heard in Lockhart's office," Harry spoke, slowly and softly as he moved closer to the walls. "Don't you hear it? I think it's…it's moving. It wants to kill." Before any of them could stop him, Harry took off running down the hall.

(-)

"Get out of my way, Minerva!" the voice was loud and angry. Luna watched with wide eyes as Professor Burbage pushed through the crowd of professors, going as far as to shove Professor Sinistra out of the way.

Her eyes were a little wild as she emerged, glancing over all of them. Her eyes trailed to the wall but she looked away quickly in favor of reaching for Harry and pulling him into her arms, "Oh darling! Are you okay? Are all of you okay?"

Hermione nodded, her voice shaking with shock as she said, "We're fine. Just a little shook up."

She let go of Harry, pressing a quick kiss to the top of his head, and moved towards Neville – staring at the cat with wide eyes – with such grace that Luna couldn't help admiring her. "Oh Neville, it's going to be okay. Let's get up to the common room, yes?"

Placing hands on his shoulders, she began leading him away, turning a bit to gesture for the rest of them to follow her. Flitch opened his mouth, "They murdered my cat! You can't just-"

"Nobody murdered your stupid cat!" Charity hissed, her eyes flashing as she turned away – barely catching sight of Draco with his face buried in Snape's robes as the potions master followed. "It's petrified and you will not tell me what I may and may not do with these children! They're just as horrified as all of you!"

Fear and shock caught up with Luna all at once and she found her legs frozen. She opened her mouth, wanting to call out and say something, but she felt her hand be picked up. Her gaze trailed up to find Ron giving her a bittersweet smile, "One foot in front of the other Luna. We'll get there eventually."

The words slipped out before she could stop them.

"I'm scared."

Ron squeezed, "Me too."

(-)

None of them slept in their beds that night. Charity and Snape brought all the blankets down, the kids clutching each other in the common room, and waited until they got comfortable before throwing blankets over them.

Blaise and Draco curled together on the couch, legs intertwined and heads on either side of the couch, and Hermione and Harry made themselves comfortable on the second couch. Luna and Ron lay on the floor with his arms around her and her head buried in his chest.

Charity pressed kisses to all of their heads and laid blankets over them as Snape whispered one last, "Are you sure you're okay?" When all of them were accounted for, she linked her arms with him and looked back at them with a worrying glance before disappearing out the common room.

The lights flickered off and for a moment there was only steady breathing as they attempted to shut their thoughts down.

"This feels scarier…" Hermione muttered.

Without a second thought the rest of the house slid down onto the floor with Ron and Luna. Legs intertwined freely and chests were pushed on by hands and backs reaching across for someone else.

It wasn't comfortable, but it was safe.

It was familiar. 

_**E/n: **_so originally this chapter featured a lot more conversation between the characters but I decided last minute that I preferred it to be one focusing on Tigerlily and their love for each other. I had a lot of (vaguely saddening) fun writing parts with Ron and Luna because they seem like they would be awesome friends to me!

_Next Time: Susan, Theodore, Seamus and Dean, Astoria, Colin, and some Wesley boys – but not in that order._


	23. Chapter 22: Gosh, Dean Stop With All-

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 22: Gosh, Dean Seriously Stop with the Lies! **

"Neville," the voice calling for him was soft, so much so that Neville almost missed it. He turned half way to find Susan standing near the wall, her hands folded behind her back as she rocked on her heels. "Could I talk to you for a moment?"

"Hey, you coming?" questioned Blaise, turning around when he realized Neville wasn't at his side.

He shook his head, "Go on without me. I'm going to talk to Susan for a moment."

Blaise hesitated for a minute before nodding, "Yeah, okay. Come find us when you're done, kay?"

Neville nodded before waling over to Susan. When he got close enough, she leaped at him and wrapped him in a tight hug. "Oh Neville! I was so worried when I heard what happened last night! Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine," he laughed, wrapping an arm around her to return her hug. "Just a bit shook up."

She buried her head in his chest, "How was I supposed to know that?! Hannah and I haven't seen you since the school year started."

His eyes widened for a brief moment when he realized it was true. He hadn't spent much time with his friends because so much had happened with Harry, trying to bond with Luna, and now the cat. He squeezed Hannah a bit tighter, "I'm so sorry."

"You can't do this to us Neville," Susan sniffled and he could feel the tears beginning to hit his shirt. "We may not be in your house but your still our friend, one of our best."

"I know. You're my best friends too. Where's Hannah?"

"I think she went to get something to eat."

"Okay then, let's go track her down and do something."

Susan looked up at him with watery eyes, "Are you sure? I thought you and Blaise…?"

"No, no. We were just going to meet up with the others but it's okay," Neville explained. He squeezed her shoulders, "Let's go then."

(-)

Blaise and Draco had their heads bent together, in the middle of a conversation, when suddenly they felt arms around them before they were on the floor with a body laid across them dramatically. Having not expected the attack it took a moment before Draco looked down to find Theo glaring at him through a half closed eye.

His mouth fluttered open and shut before he finally said, "What are you doing?"

"I'm punishing you," Theo declared, turning his head so he was looking at all the other students walking past them with confused looks, "because I didn't get the _Draco and Blaise were in fact not killed by Flitch or Harry Potter now that he's gone crazy _memo."

"Harry's not crazy," Blaise sighed. "He didn't even do anything. We were with him the whole time."

"We've been a bit busy too," Draco added. "Everyone was a little jumpy considering everything that happened."

Theo shifted in a way that dug his elbow into Draco's thighs and his heels into Blaise's ankles, both letting out low hisses of pain, "Excuses! I made time to come track you guys down."

"Two days later!"

"Yes well, Pansy was a bit clingy," he admitted. All three of them winced, remembering times from their childhood. "Whatever, either way stop letting bad things happen to you buttholes."

There was silence before Draco said, "Now might not be the best point to bring it up but I actually had plans to meet up with Hermione."

"No," Theo huffed, gripping Draco's leg. "My pretty princess."

"Go choke on a wand, Theodore."

"Hey, no need for full names here."

Blaise lifted his head, ignoring the kink in his neck, to look at Theo and Draco as he said, "Can we get off the floor already? It's dirty, gross, and frankly I'm going to maim one of you if I get stepped on."

"Vicious," laughed Theo. He stayed still for a moment before swinging up. "Do you at least want to hang out with me, Blaise?"

He pursed his lips together, humming, before he nodded, "Sure. I mean, I was supposed to be doing stuff with Neville but he's with Susan so."

"Wow, I feel so honored to know I'm your backup."

"Well then. I'm going to find Hermione," Draco drawled as he pushed himself off the floor. He dusted his pants of before turning in the direction of the library, "We can hang out some other time though, Theo. Promise."

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes as he threw an arm over Blaise's shoulders. "Let's go only friend."

"Drama Queen!"

"Jerk!"

"Both of you children shut up."

(-)

Luna was walking to Defense Against the Dark Arts when she felt a hand on her arm and then something yanked her back, looping hers around someone else's arm.

Glancing over, she found Astoria looking at her with a giant smile on her face, "Hello!"

Colin gave a little wave from Astoria's left, "Hello Luna."

"Hello," Luna greeted.

She was silent for a minute, expecting some of the yelling or screaming that she'd heard the other members of her house had gotten from their friends earlier but instead Astoria began their conversation with, "My mother sent me some makeup as a gift and I was wondering if maybe you'd let me put some of it on you this weekend? Colin won't let me-"

"I'm a boy, 'Tori," he exclaimed, giving Luna the "what is wrong with this girl?" look.

"That's not an excuse to be a party pooper!"

Their argument went on for a little while before Luna asked, her voice gentle, "Aren't you…I mean you're not going to yell at me?"

Astoria looked confused, her head tilted and eyes clouded as she turned, but Colin must have understood because he answered, "There's no reason too. Something bad happened and I'm sure you were more scared then the rest of us because you saw it."

"Oh!" Astoria exclaimed, dawning on her what the conversation was about. Quickly, she unlooped their arms in favor of hanging onto Luna, "Well, I was a bit worried about you, but not mad! When I saw you a few minutes ago though, I was just really, really, happy you were okay!"

Luna smiled, revealing in the warmth of Astoria's arms around her neck and Colin's voice in her ears as he spoke about possibly taking pictures of the two of them when Astoria was done doing her make up thing.

It was far from the time she'd thought it, but friendship was definitely nice. She liked how fun and warm it always made her feel as opposed to the calmness (despite the noise and arguments) of her common room.

"Luna?" Colin questioned, waving a hand in her face. "Did you hear me?"

"Huh?" she tilted her head. "No, I'm sorry. What was it?"

"Do you want to do our homework together after class? Astoria has some backup Potions stuff to do so we could hang out."

"Oh! Yes, of course."

She felt Astoria's lips turn up into a smile from where she was buried in Luna's neck, "Good. I feel like we haven't hung out in a while."

(-)

"So I see all your fingers, arms, and legs," Seamus drawled as he approached Harry, his hands behind his head and Dean next to him, "but what about the toes? Did you at least lose one of those?"

Harry stopped walking and looked down, wiggling them in his shoes, before saying, "No, I'm pretty sure they're all there."

"While that's crap."

Dean rolled his eyes as the duo caught up with Harry, "Ignore him. He was so scared he slept in my bed last night and swear to god he kept me up until two worrying about you."

"What seriously?" Harry looked over to find that instead of denying it like usual, Seamus had turned a bright red color.

The Irish boy folded his arms in front of him, "It's no big deal okay? Your my friend, it's only natural I'd be worried about you."

Harry bit his lip for a minute, this kind of thing wasn't usually his to deal with since Hermione was always there to reassure someone, before touching Seamus's elbow, "I didn't even see what did it, you know? We just ran into the hallway."

"But it could have been right there and you wouldn't have-"

"It wasn't and he didn't," Dean interrupted. "You're not sleeping with me tonight either so stop worrying about it, Shay."

He zoned out for a moment as Seamus but up some kind of fight about never having slept in Dean's bed anyway, but Harry saw the way Seamus's shoulders relaxed and something softened in his eyes. He couldn't help finding it just a bit amazing that Dean had that kind of effect on Seamus.

(-)

Ron sat on the steps leading up to the Gryffindor common room, his knees drawn up to his chest. His gaze was locked on one of the paintings on the wall so he didn't notice Percy approaching until his brother cleared his throat.

Snapping up to look at him, something in his throat constricted before he choked out, "Perce," and bounced up to hug his brother tightly. Percy's eyes widened, shocked because Ron had never seeked any kind of attention from him as much as he had the rest of their brothers, but once he got over it he gripped him tightly.

Neither of them said anything before Ron buried his face in Percy's chest and mumbled, "Did you hear what happened last night?"

"Yes. I just came back from a perfects meeting about it."

"It scared me. I know I'm a Weasley and we're supposed to be fearless but-"

Percy set his chin on the youngers head, shushing him, before saying, "That's not what it means Ron. We're not fearless, we just don't let our fears get in the way of all the things we want to do."

They settled into silence again, both thankful that no one else was on their way up or down, before Ron said, "Do you think I could stay in Gryffindor tower with you and the twins tonight?"

"Obviously. I'll talk to McGonagall, you let your housemates know okay?"

**E/n: **Ok so the reason this took was long was because I didn't want to start this and then get my new computer on Christmas but when I realized the last update was early November I decided to crank this out.

Anyway, notes on the Romance part of this story: Definitely the beginning of Harry realizing maybe there's something more to Dean and Seamus then he thought which I think would be a good lead in for later years (as of right now I'm going for Drarry around forth year? Is fourteen an acceptable age to start a relationship?). Luna/Astoria is a thing that may happen. But as of right now Astoria/Colin and Colin/Luna are very possible as well. Leave something about that in your review maybe?

Notes on other stuff: My headcanon Theo is nothing like my headcanon for the other Slytherins. He honestly does not give a shit okay? He just wants Draco and Blaise to be safe and happy. And I know I said the twins would be in here but I really wanted to put in that Percy _is _Ron's brother. It seems acceptable to me that Ron would seek comfort in him.

Last thing – PLEASE go to my profile and vote for which Ravenclaws you would like to see Hermione become friends with? I've put all of them up that are known to have been in their year and I would really appreciate your help!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE :3

_**Next Time: **__The Kids learn about the Chamber, start Theorizing, Luna gets her makeup done, and Tonks sends a letter! _


	24. Chapter 23: Nightmares, Make Overs, and-

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 23: Nightmares, Make Overs, and Secret Plots. **

Draco was in the middle of taking a bite of an egg sandwich when a letter dropped on his head. Putting his sandwich sound in the center of his plate and sending Blaise a "Do not fucking touch it" glare, he turned his attention to the letter.

_Dear Draco, _

_How is Hogwarts? Are you having lots of fun adventures?_

_Gosh, I know I did! I was in trouble a bloody lot!_

_I've been having a lot of fun. Moody is a bit...well Moody and Mad sometimes but merlin, he bloody brilliant! I feel like I've already learned so much more then I knew before. He's a bit cold sometimes, but I think I'm starting to win him over. _

_I'm not really allowed to tell you what I've been doing, but I'm safe and all! _

_I made some new friends too, __mostly men (young and old) who have worked with Mad-Eye since I began. Their doesn't seem to be a lot of women in the profession but I've always felt more at ease with boys anyway!_

_Have you made any new friends? Your mum came to visit last weekend and told us you'd gotten a new house-member! What's she like? Are all of your friends well? You couldn't stop talking about them last time we saw each other! _

_Get back to me soon!_

_All my love, _

_Tonks_

"So? Whose is from?" questioned Blaise, leaning over to try and sneak a peek.

"My cousin," Draco replied, swatting at him. "Stop that. There's nothing important. She just wants to know how I am and stuff."

Neville smiled as he brought his spoon to his mouth, "You two getting along then? You haven't said much about her other then she's pretty cool and she'd just left when I came over last summer."

"She's the best. I'm really glad I got to meet her," Draco answered, and tried not to think about what that meant for his parents relationship. "I guess I just kind of want to keep her to myself as long as possible."

**(-)**

"Hey, I didn't see you last night," Harry exclaimed, jogging to catch up with Ron as they made their way to History of Magic. "Did you get in late or something?"

Ron shook his head, "I slept in Gryffindor tower with my brothers. I haven't been-"

"You've been having the nightmares too then?" Draco interrupted as he popped up on Harry's other side. "They've been keeping me up all night lately."

Ron's cheeks flushed a bright red, "No I just-"

"It's alright to have them," Harry stated as he bumped against the redhead. "The whole situation was a bit scary."

The trio walked in silence for a while before Harry spoke again, "Ron, all of us had them. It doesn't mean anything just because you and Draco are the only ones still having them."

"I get it," Ron answered, nodding. "I just- I feel like a baby for it. It's just a stupid cat so..."

"Don't think to much about it. I'm not," Draco put in, shrugging. "We'll get over it."

"Guys!" they whipped around to find Luna jogging towards them, a boy with hair as blonde as her own trailing after her.

"Hey, Luna!" Draco drawled, pulling her to him and messing her hair up.

The boy groaned, "Astoria is going to kill us!"

Luna made a desperate attempt at smoothing her out before sighing, "Tori spent a really long time on that, Draco!"

"Whatever you say, shrimp."

She made a halfhearted attempt at a glare before Harry spoke, "What do you need Luna? You don't usually talk to us during school hours."

She looked up at the ceiling, as if she'd lost her train of thought before the boy nudged her gently and whispered something. "Oh! Yeah, I just wanted to tell you that I would be late for dinner tonight. I have plans with Astoria right after class and she tends to go a little overboard!"

"Just make sure you don't miss it, alright?" Ron declared.

"I won't!"

Harry swatted at her bottom, "Off with you then. You've got a lesson to get to."

Luna squeaked a bit at the contact, sending him a glare over her shoulder, before Colin grabbed her hand, "Come on."

Draco laughed as he watched them walk away. After a moment, he gathered his wits enough to smack his hand against Harry's butt, "Get going then, Potter. You've got a lesson to get to," and beginning to walk again.

Laughter forced it's way out of Ron's throat as he followed, "Merlin, Draco, that's just-"

"Shut up!" Harry whined as he moved to follow. "That_ hurt."_

"You know what's going to hurt?"

"Mhm?"

"Hermione squeezing you to death when we show up late."

(-)

Charity walked into the potions classroom with her lips pursed together and worry in her eyes, "Severus, what are we-"

She stopped when she looked at him, his arms folded on the desk and his head buried in them. Licking her lips free of whatever food she'd gotten on them during her lunch break, she approached him with a hand held out. When her hand buried in his hair, rubbing slow circles on his scalp, he flinched but didn't say anything.

They sat like that, in silence, for a long time before he spoke, "I don't know what to do, Charity. I told Narcissa I'd watch over Draco and I've got strange fatherly feels for everyone in that stupid house and I just-"

"Shh," she shushed, moving her other hand over his back. "No one knows for sure what happened. The Chamber might not even exist." He turned his head, his cheek cold against the desk, and looked at her until she sighed. "Yes fine, the Chamber exists but there's no one here that would know how to open it."

"The Dark Lord-"

Her hands tightened into fists unconsciously and he winced at the pressure, "The Dark Lord is not alive, much less here at Hogwarts! Even if he was – Even if he was I wouldn't let him near the kids."

"Don't be stupid, Charity. He's stronger then all of us."

They lapsed into silence again, each absorbed in their own thoughts, but didn't pull away from each other.

(-)

Luna's eyes fluttered as she felt Astoria's hand approach her with the brush.

"Don't move," Astoria hushed, placing a steadying hand on her arm. "I don't want to get eyeshadow all over your forehead."

"Sorry, I'm not used to this."

Colin sat on the counter, messing with the settings on his camera as he waited for them, "I have no clue what happened in DADA today."

"Professor Lockheart doesn't know what happened in DADA today," Luna put in softly. "Care of Magical Creatures was fun though. I wish we could talk about Nargles..."

"Lockheart is attractive though," Astoria declared, smiling as she used her pinky to whip at the side of Luna's eye. They lapsed into silence for a minute before she spoke again, "Without moving to much, tell us about the Nargles again."

"Ugh," Colin groaned, looking up at them. "Let's not talk about those again. Let's talk about the Heliopaths again."

Astoria turned, her hands on her hips, and glared at him, "Nargles are cuter!"

"Heliopaths are cooler."

"I can do both," Luna muttered. "We all known we're going to be here a while before 'Tori finishes if she keeps taking breaks to get mad at you, Colin."

Astoria whipped around, turning her glare to her, "Lu_na_, you're supposed to take my side!"

"Not when your being unreasonable."

The taller blonde huffed but ultimately set back to her task.

"So Heliopaths..."

"Shut up Colin!"

(-)

The second years were quiet as they sat in the common room. Neville was the first to speak, "Chamber of Secrets huh..."

"I don't even want to think about that," Harry groaned, burying his head in-between his knees. "I just fought Lord Voldemort and now..."

"Hey, hey," Blaise declared, kicking Harry in the side. "No one said you had to do anything. You're under no obligations."

Draco slipped off the couch, moving to Harry's side and slinging one arm over his shoulders before putting his head on his shoulder, "Blaise is right. You just need to be a normal teenager."

Harry let his head fall onto the others, "Everyone is going to be expecting me too."

"No one is expecting anything," Ron huffed.

Hermione gave an almost bitter smile, "We don't even know if it's actually real. Much less who could open it."

"There are some sick fucks in Slytherin," Blaise put in. "That much I can attest to. If it's any of them-"

"We don't even have a way to know if it _is _one of them."

There was a moment of silence before Hermione declared, "I could brew a polyjuice potion."

"Um...what's that?" questioned Harry, looking around the room without pulling away from Draco.

"It's kind of like," Ron stopped, thinking for the words, before saying, "a shape shifting potion."

Harry nodded to show that he understood. Neville nibbled on his lip before slowing saying, "I could probably get you the herb ingredients relatively easily from Professor Sprout. I'll tell her I'm interested and learning more about them."

"I could probably get anything else from Uncle Sev," Draco put in. "He'd be glad if any of us showed interest in the craft. It's one of his favorites."

Blaise leaned back in his chair, his hand laced with Hermione's so the brunette was forced against the couch's arm when he did so, "If I can come up with an excuse, Theo could get us some hairs from the Slytherins."

"I'll see if I can't get permission to grab a book from the restricted section tomorrow then," Hermione declared.

They looked around at each other before Ron said, "Do we tell Luna?"

"No," Neville said, shaking his head, without missing a beat. "We only tell her if we have too." 

**E/n: **oh boy. So many emotions in this chapter and the next is going to be just a bad, I suppose.

So Hermione's friend situation – so far Padma is in the lead with Terry and Michael behind her. I'm going to leave that open until after chapter twenty-four so you can still go vote if your interested.

Oh! Someone also suggested maybe having a threesome for Astoria/Colin/Luna and I liked the idea – it's not a relationship we've explored in this yet. But neither is Luna's possible lesbianism which is another direction that was possible. I'm liking those two couples so maybe put your opinions on that again?

Not much to comment on other then the fact that unintentionally Charity/Snape has kind of become canon.

_Next Time: Hermione gets a new book, Blaise gets kicked out of a Quidditch match, Neville's got a lesson with Snape, aaaaaand another petrifaction that might affect them more then they know. _


	25. Chapter 24: Blaise Pisses off Ladies

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House **

**Chapter 24: Blaise Pisses off Ron and McGonagall**

"Bloody hell 'Mione," whistled Blaise as they stepped out of Lockheart's classroom, the brunette clutching the permission slip to get in the restricted section, "you're a manipulative little thing when you want, aren't you?"

A blush crawled up her neck, "I'm not-"

"Hermione's done loads of research on him," Draco teased, waggling his eyebrows. "She's got a huuuuge crush."

"I do not!" Hermione exclaimed, her voice squeaking. "He's a very transparent man."

"You wish, don't you?" Draco laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Leave her alone, Draco," Ron put up, glancing over at them. "If she says she doesn't have a crush on him then she doesn't have a crush on him."

Blaise arched an eyebrow, "Is Ron sticking up for Hermione? Usually your the one teasing her."

"Blaise," Neville interrupted, "leave them alone."

The two look at each other, a silent conversation passing between them, before Blaise threw his hands in the air, "Fine. Come on, I'll walk you to your potions lesson."

He gave a half smile before waving at the rest of the group, "See you later guys."

Blaise gave a brief nod before the two walked off, the rest hearing a whispered argument as they left.

"What's up with those two lately?" questioned Ron as he watched them leave, half in need of changing the conversation and half in actual curiosity. "They've been hanging out a lot more then usual."

"They've always been close, Ronald," Hermione sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "It's just become for obvious recently. I don't know what exactly has caused it, though."

"Blaise is just getting better with feelings," Draco drawled. "His mum really had him fucked up you know? Robert and her being together has helped both of them." He bumped his hip against Harry's, "Do you have practice right now?"

He shook his head. "Fred and George have detention so Katie bullied Oliver into letting us off for once, said it would put us in better shape for the match tomorrow. Why do you ask?"

"I ran into Seamus earlier and he said they were planning on playing exploding snaps in the courtyard today. I was going to meet Theo for a game of gobstones so I thought you may want to walk out with me?"

"Oh...Yeah okay." They waved goodbye to Ron and Hermione before walking away.

There was silence between the remaining two for a moment before Ron said, "I'm sorry about Draco and Blaise, 'Mione. They don't mean any harm you know?"

"Obviously," Hermione answered, flashing him a small smile. "It's just a bit embarrassing I guess." She glanced in the direction Harry and Draco had went, "You can go with them, you know? Your not under any obligation to stay here with me."

"No, it's fine," he drawled, shifting so they were walking without the gap of three people between them. "I mean, we haven't had time to ourselves lately." They walked for a while before Ron said, "You want to go to the common room and watch a movie? I like that one with the fox who steals from the King."

Hermione's eyebrows knitted together before she guessed, "Robin Hood?"

"Yes! That one!"

She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her mouth. "Yes, okay. I don't have to get this book quite yet."

(-)

"I'll see you in a bit, Blaise," Neville called as he walked into the potions classroom. He looked around, noticing it was empty. "Professor, I'm here for my lesson."

"I'll be out in a second, Longbottom," Snape replied. "Just take a seat."

He glanced around before moving his books up to the table in the front. Seconds later the professor emerged with several potions ingredients and tools in his arms. Moving to stand, Neville began, "I'll help you carry-"

"Don't. I don't want this stuff broken." Neville winced at the insult but didn't make to move any farther. After putting the things down, Snape turned around with his mouth open – ready to give Neville instructions – but stopped when he took in the seconds years appearance. His hair was a mess and dark bags hung under his eyes. "Is there something you want to talk about, Neville?"

"What-? No, everything is fine," Neville declared, forcing a smile. "I've just been having trouble sleeping. I guess it's-" he hesitated before going on, "the whole thing with the cham- with Ms. Norris was frightening. I keep having dreams about it happening to me, or even worst one of the others. I don't know what I'd do if-"

"Sh," Snape hushed. He took a brief moment to wonder how Charity would handle this before reaching for Neville's shoulder and squeezing. "Their perfectly normal. Even some of the older children have come to me with nightmares. Did you get a sleeping drought from Madam Pomfey?"

He shook his head, "No I- I didn't want the others to find out. Hermione would be worried."

Snape pursed his lips, wanting to tell Neville to get to the hospital wing and talk to her immediately but knowing he wouldn't even if told, before saying, "Come. I'll teach you how to make one for yourself then."

"What? I thought we didn't learn that until fourth year."

"You shouldn't. But I'd rather you not die from exhaustion."

(-)

Blaise rubbed his hands together as he watched the Quidditch match taking place in front of them. Around him Ron was screaming for Gryffindor, his cheers way to loud for anyone's ears, and Draco bounced up in down as he joined. Over the two of them, he could just barely hear the snap-snap of Colin's camera as he spoke softly to Astoria and Luna and the distinct Irish accent in the stands above them somewhere.

"It's bloody cold out today," Blaise cursed, eyes tracking Katie as she raced after the ball the second it was in the sky.

Hermione smiled, "Obviously, Christmas is on it's way after all. Do you want my scarf?"

"No, your probably colder then I am." He turned from the game, pushing her face so she was looking away from him. "Stop worrying about me and watch the ga-"

"What the hell!"

Blaise's hand slipped from her face as he whipped around to see what Draco had yelled at. He watched with narrowed eyes as Fred just nearly hit a bludger away from Harry only for George to dive in front of him to stop another one. He could see the twins mouths moving as they spoke to each other, Harry, and let out soft curses but he couldn't hear what they were saying.

"That's bloody cheating!" Blaise exclaimed, waving a hand out at the pitch. He whipped towards McGonagall, "Professor, do something! Those Slytherin fucks are trying to hurt him!"

"Mr. Zabini, I simply can't do anything if Madam Hooch doesn't see anything wrong with the play," she grounded out between clenched teeth. After a moment she said, "If your...accusations continue I'll be forced to remove you from the environment."

"Are you shitting me right now!?" he screamed, unable to censor himself as his worry for Harry took over. "Like fucking serious? You can't keep them from hurting him – He's your best fucking player!"

She whipped around, her face contorted with anger and some kind of hurt, "Quidditch is a dangerous sport, Mr. Zabini, and Mr. Potter does not make the whole team. Kindly escort yourself from the pitch before I do it for you!"

He glared at her for a minute before feeling an arm on his forearm. Hermione's voice was soft as she tugged on him, "Blaise, come on. I'll go with you."

He let her lead him away, eyes tracking Harry in the sky.

(-)

Harry's head hurt.

It's spinning with frustration at Dobby, whose visit from which in his room he still hadn't informed Charity and Snape of, and the sudden frightening realization (the type of which he's been getting used to since discovering his magic) that _oh my god, my teacher got rid of my bones. _When he finally got control of it, still pounding but manageable suddenly, he noticed a note sitting next to his bed.

_Madam Pomfey said you likely wouldn't wake up tonight but just in case, _

_Neville is helping Luna and her friends study for a Herblogy exam because she was a bit freaked out looking at you just...asleep. She wasn't here last year after all. The rest of us are trading off because Pomfey refuses to let us stay with you and Blaise got kicked out of your Quidditch match (I'll explain alter) so if we're not there, we're switching. _

_Please be okay Harry, _

_Hermione._

He couldn't help frowning, feeling horrible for worrying her yet again.

Just as he moved to lay back down, to go back to so he could wake up again with bones and ready to ask Hermione about everything that he had been told, when he hears footsteps and voices.

"Her-" he begun, expecting to see his friend pushing the curtain to come check up on him again.

Instead he heard Snape's voice, "Does anyone know?"

"No, of course not," McGonagall exclaimed. "We wouldn't want to worry the children any more. I've already had plenty of people tell me their having nightmares."

"I'll inform his friends after I check on Potter." Harry watched as his shadow approached and instinctively, he flattened himself against the bed and shut his eyes. There was a moment before he felt something warm, lips?, on his forehead.

Dumbledore's voice flooded Harry's ears, "Severus..."

"We had this discussion in the beginning of the school term," Snape's voice was sharp, a tone Harry had never heard anyone use with the headmaster, and he felt his hands turn into fists before relaxing. "Charity won't – I won't – _We won't _send him back there. Not when he's so much happier with us."

"He is still James's son."

"But James and Lily are dead." There was something in the words, something bitter which Harry knew must have had to do with Snape's feelings for his mother, but also something like healing. There was a whip of wind before he felt Snape leaving, "I'll go round up Charity and the children then."

There was a whispered conversation between the rest of the room before they finally walked away, voices grim and their conversation ringing in Harry's ears. He waited until he was sure they were gone, and then stayed down a few extra minutes just for sure, before he peeked around the corner to see who it was.

His heart stopped when he recognized the figure. That was Colin and Luna was going to be positively heartbroken. 

**E/n: **Don't have to much to say to be honest. Other then, I hope you dont mind Blaise's language? Him and Ron are...well potty mouths. It comes, I think, from Ron having so many older brothers and Blaise spending a good portion of his early life with nannies.

_Next Time: Hermione ACTUALLY gets a book and some friends, Luna is torn apart and gets let in on the plan, the kids decide when to enact their plan, and Robert and Blaise's mother are really not pleased with being called to the school. _


	26. Chapter 25: Mothers and Nerds

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 25: Mothers and Nerds **

Hermione bit her lip as she stared at the door to the first year girl dormitory. Typically, Luna stayed in the second year room with her so neither of them slept alone but she'd been locked in alone since finding out about Colin.

She knocked on the door with her knuckles, "Luna? Can you let me in please?"

There was no answer. Hesitatingly, she reached for doorknob despite knowing it had been locked the last five times she'd come up. Much to her surprise, it clicked and the door slid open.

Luna was sitting on one of the bed, her back against the headboard and her knees drawn up to her chest. Her head was buried in her knees, she didn't look up as Hermione approached.

"Luna, honey," Hermione breathed as she crawled onto the bed with her. She wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "The professors will fix this, okay?"

Luna burrowed farther into herself, "It's my fault."

"What? Of course not!" Hermione exclaimed.

"It is! I was supposed to go with him but I hadn't finished my essay and -"

Hermione moved slowly, placing her hands on Luna's cheeks and tilting the blonde's head until their eyes met, "Now you listen to me, okay? If you had gone with him, you would have been petrified too and then all of us would be feel twice as horrible and Astoria would be alone. You don't want any of us to feel like that, do you?"

She shook her head, "No but-"

"No buts," Hermione interrupted. Sighing, she drew Luna into her chest for a tight hug, "You can still cry if you need too, Luna. Just don't do it by yourself because all of us want him to be okay."

(-)

"Charity," Snape's voice was soft as he shook the women, careful of the four boys laid over her. "Charity."

The women stirred, blinking her eyes open softly before saying, "Severus?"

He held a finger against his lips in a silent hush and gestured around her.

Still blinking sleep from her eyes she looked around to find herself in the Tigerlily common room. Neville laid across her lap while Ron fit in the tiny space between him and the couch with his legs over Neville's body and his head on Charity's shoulder. On the other side of her, Blaise laid with his back against her shoulder and Draco in between his legs with his head resting against Blaise's chest.

"What time is it?" she mumbled, her mouth feeling like cotton.

"Five. Enough time for you to get up and ready for classes."

"Mhm." She nodded but didn't make a move to get up. Her eyes sliding shut and her head thumping back on the couch.

"Charity, you don't really have time for this."

"I can't help it," she groaned, placing her cheek on top of Blaise's head. "I just like sitting here with them. It's comfortable and nice. Their so precious like this, easier for me to protect."

Snape's hand stilled on Draco's cheek, having been going to move the blonde so Charity could get up, "I know."

They sat in silence for a while before Charity choked out, "God is this how it always is? Getting way to close to these kids and feeling like shit every time they get hurt?"

Snape didn't say anything as he shifted Draco and Blaise around so Charity could slip out of the pile from that side. When he did speak it was when they were out the door, "I think that's just your maternal instincts kicking in now that we have Harry."

(-)

Hermione let out a frustrated groan as she rocked onto her tip toes in an attempt to grab the book just above her reach. Just as she was about to give up in favor of going out to look for Ron or Blaise a soft voice cut through her thoughts, "Do you need some help?" She turned to find two Ravenclaws standing next to her. The one who had spoken was a female with a long dark braid. "Michael could probably reach it. Right, Michael?"

The male next to her glanced up at it, "Yeah."

Hermione moved to get out of his way as he reached across and grabbed the book she had been reaching for before handing it to her with a brief smile. "Thank you." She gave them each a little nod before moving, to walk away and get started on the reading.

"Hey um!" the female exclaimed, her voice squeaking a bit from the force of it. They all winced a little when several other people in the library glanced at them. "I see you in here all the time and I just – Do you maybe want to hang out sometime?"

"Are you asking to be my friend?" Hermione questioned, clutching the book closer to her chest.

"Basically," Michael drawled with a grin. "Padma and I don't have many of them. Ravenclaws...we don't tend to get along with each other because we all have different interests that we're really passionate about. Sometimes they clash."

Hermione was silent for a minute before nodding, "I'd like that."

A grin spread across Padma's face, "Oh thank god! You seemed like such a cool person when I saw the titles of the books you were checking out. You're really into magical stuff right?"

"Yes," Hermione admitted, feeling her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "It's really fascinating. There's so much history behind everything."

"Isn't there!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing on her heels. "Michael's father works with mine in the Ministry's history department!"

Michael smiled slightly, "She makes it sound a lot cooler then it is. Padma really loves magical history as well."

"Michael's more of a potions person," Padma declared. "He's fantastic at it too!"

"I'm really not that good..."

"He's being modest," she drawled as she gestured for Hermione to follow them out of the Restricted section into the main library. She took a seat at one of the tables, Michael situating next to her and Hermione across. "That's why we noticed you today. Michael was looking for an advanced potions book that Professor Snape recommended him."

Michael hummed, "Can I ask what your looking for in that book?"

"Oh um..." Hermione searched her brain for something to say before admitting the truth. "I was curious about polyjuice potions."

She was expecting for them to ask her why she would want to spend even more time studying but instead a wide grin spread across Michael's face, "I've always wanted to look at one! Do you mind sharing the book? Just for a few minutes."

"Oh um... of course not."

(-)

Blaise's fingers dug into his thighs as he sat in Charity's classroom, listening to the click click of his mothers heels approaching and the muttering of whispered voices. His heart was racing by the time the two woman appeared in the doorway, Robert trailing behind them with his hands above his head.

"Blaise, your parents are going to speak to you alone okay?" Charity declared.

Blaise swallowed thickly before nodding, "Yes, that's fine Professor."

There was silence between them until Charity reached the hallway, closing the door behind her, and a moment later his mother was hissing, "You got kicked out of a Quidditch game and yelled at a Professor! What where you thinking?"

"I wasn't but-"

"No shit you weren't!"

"Blaise," Robert's voice was softer then his mothers, but for some reason that made the underlying disappointment sting more, "we understand that you love your friends but this isn't acceptable behavior."

He turned his head, burying it into the crook of his elbow, "I know your disappointed in me okay?"

He couldn't bring himself to look at them, even when he felt his mothers hands on his knees, "Honey, I'm not disappointed. I just – You were raised better then that. I just need you to explain to me why

"They were cheating and Harry was getting hurt because of it," Blaise murmured. "Then some stupid teacher had to mend his bones because they hurt him and now he has literally no bones."

Robert squeezed his shoulders, "That all you needed to say."

(-)

In the common room that night, after homework had been shoved aside for a later time, Draco spoke softly – Luna's head in his lap as he ran his fingers through her hair, "We need to start the plan. We can't let anyone else get hurt."

"It'll take two months," Hermione declared. "If we can get the ingredients this week, I can finish it in time for Christmas break."

"I want to help," Luna murmured. "Who ever is doing this hurt Colin."

She looked like she wanted to protest, but Ron placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her head. After a beat of silence Harry said, "I'll talk to Snape and Charity and see what we're doing. I'm pretty sure I'll be staying here for Christmas to help Luna."

"I can't," Blaise stated, shaking his head. "Mother already informed me that I needed to be home for our first Christmas as a real family."

Draco nodded in agreement with Blaise, "I've got to go back too."

"I could stay," Neville spoke after a minute.

Hermione tried to protest, "Neville you don't have to. Not when your parents-"

"It's fine. I can't- I can't my whole life waiting for them to remember something their not going too and I can always visit during the summer."

Blaise spoke in a voice peppered with resolve and anger, "I'll talk to Theo in the morning. Try to figure out who in Slytherin is going to be staying for the holidays."

None of them said anything because the wishes of luck and be safe were buzzing through their eyes and body language.

_**A/n: **_For the record, I am not trying to Ravenclaws off as nerds per say. I think though, that all of the Ravenclaws would be passionate about something and that because of their conflicting interests they may not always get along.

Also: if anyone is interested in maybe drawing a banner for the house or BETAING this story pls shoot me a message!

Don't think we need to talk about anything else!

_Next Time: Parseltongue, comforting friends, and the creation of a potion. _


	27. Chapter 26: Hallway Snuggles and-

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 26: Hallway Snuggles and Christmas Plans**

Blaise was spinning around in one of the chairs as Neville watered the plants in the Greenhouse when Susan burst in, red in the face and out of breath. Blaise opened his mouth to greet her – a friendly hello – only for her to rush out, "Neville, did you know!?"

"Did I know what?" Neville questioned, his eyebrows furrowing together. "You should sit down-"

"That Harry was the one petrifying everyone!"

"He wasn't," drawled Blaise, his cheek in his hand. "Who told you that?"

"I heard from some of my upper classmen! Apparently at the duelling club thing, Crabbe unleashed a snake on him and Harry spoke Parseltongue!"

Blaise glanced between the two before saying, "Susan are these perhaps the classmen who have huffed a bit too much puff?"

"Blaise!" Neville exclaimed, his jaw falling open. He didn't answer, just gave a light shrug of his shoulders.

Susan fumbled for words before she spat out the only thing that came to her mind, "You guys really didn't know?"

Slowly turning his glare away from Blaise, he answered her, "We didn't know he was a Parseltongue, no. But Susan, he didn't petrify the others."

She didn't look convinced so Blaise tacked on, "We've been with him every time it happened and he wouldn't hurt Colin. He's one of Luna's best friends."

Susan hummed, "I don't know..."

"Please, just don't spread it around?" Neville pleaded. She bit her lip, hesitant and no doubt wondering if she wouldn't warn others. "I'm asking you as your friend Susan. He didn't do it."

After a moment she nodded, "Okay. I'll tell Hannah not to spread it around either."

"Thank you."

(-)

Astoria threw herself into Luna's arms when they spotted each other. Her head, a mess of wild uncombed curls, buried under Luna's chin and she squeezed so hard Luna had a hard time breathing.

"I was so worried about you!" Astoria cried. "Professor Snape made me come back to class after two days but you didn't come back and I thought maybe you had been petrified as well!"

Luna patted Astoria's curls, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have missed that last day."

She didn't say anything in reply, just buried farther into Luna's chest. After a moment Luna spoke again, "Have you visited Colin in the hospital wing yet?"

"No," something about the way Astoria said it was so raw and lonely that pangs of guilt rushed down Luna's spine. "I- I didn't think I could handle it without you."

"I'm sorry," Luna repeated. "Let's go together, okay?"

Astoria's voice was muffled by Luna's robes as she answered, "We should take him some chocolate. Colin loves chocolate."

The thought of Colin with fingers sticky and coated in the sugary substance crossed Luna's mind and brought a smile to her face as she stroked Astoria's hair. "He does, doesn't he? I'll even mail my father to get him some new film. He's going to be devastated if he wakes up to find the teachers confiscated all of it."

"He'll like that."

"Mhm..." she twirled one of Astoria's curls around her hair before mumbling, "He's going to wake up okay? Don't worry about that."

Astoria didn't say anything for a minute before her hands relaxed on the back of Luna's robes and she answered, "I know. I miss him so much, though."

"Me too, Tori. Me too."

(-)

Neville glanced to both sides of the hallway before darting across, into the girls bathroom.

When he swung the door open, he found most of his house sprawled out on the floor. Ron and Blaise sat on the floor with a run-down wizards chess board they'd gotten from god only knows where while Harry sat by himself in a plastic chair, another empty one next to him. Luna and Hermione were bent over a cauldron with a potions book wide open in front of them.

"I brought the fluxweed Professor Sprout and I picked last night," Neville declared. He reached into his bag and handed the ingredient into Luna's outstretched hand. "The flies are done stewing?"

"They will be tonight," Hermione drawled. "Luna and I will come back to make the potion in the morning and put it in the flasks. You guys will go in while the rest of us are finishing our Christmas packing and leaving that night. Make sure you lock the dormitory doors so no one can get in while you're waiting for it to wind off."

Blaise called out an order for his knight before saying, "It took a little convincing but I got the stuff from Theo. He managed to get me hairs from Tracey Davis, Daphne Greengrass, and Crabbe."

Before Neville could react to the words, Harry called out, "I'm not cross dressing!"

Luna gave a weak smile, "I guess you'll be Tracey then. I picked a bit at Astoria and she told me Daphne is creeped out by Crabbe but she's good friends with Tracey. We should be able to get around to more people that way."

He just sighed, resigning himself to the role before moving to sit in the chair next to Harry. Settling in, he asked Harry, "Where's Draco? I thought he was with you earlier."

"He was," Harry replied as he flipped the page in his Charms textbook, "but he went to hang out with Theo for a bit. He feels uncomfortable in a girls bathroom." There was a beat of silence before Harry peeled his gaze from his book, "I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I'm not comfortable in here either."

"Whatever you say Harry," Neville declared, smiling just a bit as he leaned towards him. "Do you need help? Charms isn't your best subject."

Harry gave him a half hearted shove, smiling just as wide, "It's not your best either. This is secretly just a plot to copy my homework isn't it?"

"Totally. You caught me in the act."

They smiled at each other like idiots for a minute before Blaise shouted, "Hey! Neville come over here for a sec."

Neville gave a swat at Harry's book as he stood back up.

(-)

"Severus," Charity sung as she peeked into the room. She found he was seated at the tiny square table in his room, glasses perched on his nose for reaching and papers scattered on the top of it. He didn't say anything, just waved a hand to wave her in. "I brought coffee."

He glanced up at the sound of the mug hitting the table, "Watch the papers, Charity. My sixth year students are not particularlly fond of coffee rings on their work."

She gave a wistful sigh, "I remember when I was that age. Always doing my best on my class work so I could have the proper credentials for the jobs I wanted."

"Didn't you teach at a Muggle school before the last professor retired?" he questioned.

"Mhm yes. I taught in a primary school and I adored all of the children but teaching here – or really at any magical school – was always my dream."

They sat in silence for awhile, Charity drinking her coffee – her pyjama pant covered legs drawn up to her chest – and Snape skimming the last of the essay he'd been working on, before he said, "So to what do I owe this visit?"

"Oh, Harry couldn't catch you so he asked me!" Charity exclaimed. She rocked her hips so her chair fell back onto four legs before adding, "He wanted to make sure we were staying here for Christmas. I told him we would – I know you usually do and I only ever go to see my parents – but it occurred to me that we haven't gone shopping yet for something to give him! When do you think would be a good time to go out? I was thinkingperhaps we should visit Diagon Alley since Hogsmeade isn't exactly Christmas shopping material."

Snape blinked several times before his eyes dropped to the mug waiting for him, "I hadn't thought of it. Christmas shopping for a child isn't something I've ever had to do." Reaching for it, he took a sip. "You don't have to stay for Christmas you know. It's not very exciting and just because we live in the same house doesn't mean you need to-"

"Oh shush Sev," Charity interrupted, kicking him under the table. "Christmas with my parents is only a one day event." He watched as her cheeks heated a pleasant pink before saying, "I'd like for you and Harry to come with me. We're a family now, you know? Maybe not in the traditional sense but..."

There was a beat of silence before Snape spoke, slowly not wanting to say the wrong thing in this situation, "I'd be honoured to meet you parents and I'm sure Harry would too."

A grin spread across her cheeks, "That's great! They've always wanted grandchildren, I just know they're going to love him!"

Snape just hid his own smile in the coffee.

_**E/n: **_How are you guys?! I feel like this chapter took longer then usual! Happy 2013 and I hope you've all had a great start to the year. Onto some story news!

A faboooooolous welcome and thank you for our beta: HpandWforever. She's been a great help on fact checking for this chapter and I'm sure she'll continue to be but just as a reminder – just because there are two of us doesn't mean we'll catch _every _mistake.

There's been some people who think Astoria/Colin/Luna would be good as a threesome and it's definitely not something i'm opposed to (cough) or unfamilar with (cough). I quite like the idea actually! So send me your thoughts on that.

Also, I know originally some you were opposed to the idea of Severus/Charity when it was firsted mentioned but I think it's definitely going to happen at some point. The point was always for them to raise Harry together and although I'm not _opposed _to exploring that kind of nontraditional family, I'd rather have them together.

_Next Tiiiiiime:The first part of Christmas break: Bibbity-Bobbity-Boo, a shopping trip, and a peek at the kids who went home._


	28. Chapter 27: Luna's Plan, Charity's Kiss,

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 27: Luna's Plan, Charity's Kiss, and Arthur Advice.**

Hermione sighed, her knees drawn up to her chest as she sat on Neville's bed. Around her, the members of their tiny family who were going home as well were folding and packing their clothes.

"You okay over there?" questioned Blaise as he shoved a pair of jeans into his trunk. When they were in, he snapped the compartment closed and moved to sit next to her.

Her head thunked onto his shoulder as she answered, "I'm just worried about them. If they get caught the Slytherins aren't going to be very nice to them."

"Hey, now," he nudged her gently, careful not to hurt or move her too far. "They'll be fine. These are people they know enough about to get by as long as they don't talk to anyone too close to them."

"Even if they do get caught," Ron drawled, ignoring the way Blaise instantly glared at him, "they could take them."

Draco threw one of his shirts at him, "Shut up, Ron." He made a noise of protest but didn't say anything, opting instead to just throw the shirt back at Draco's head.

Hermione was quiet too as she nuzzled against Blaise's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave a light squeeze, "Ignore him. He's a ginger after all, they're notorious for being soulless bastards."

"You-" Ron made an angry motion only for another shirt to fly into his head.

"Stop making more worries for everyone, Ron," Draco drawled. "It's not going to make you feel better about any of yours."

(-)

Harry peeked around the corner before turning back to Neville, whispering, "Are you sure that's where the common room is?"

"Yes," he nodded slightly. "That's what Blaise said anyway. I don't know how we're going to get in, though. He couldn't very well ask Theo for their password."

Luna sat behind them, chewing her lip, before she spotted a flash of green in the distance. Getting an idea she unfolded her legs and stood up, grabbing Neville's hand, "Come on."

"Luna where are you-" Harry began. His mouth snapped shut and he flattened himself back against the wall, as best as he could in such a large body, as he watched Theo come around the corner with his hands behind his head and two of his friends flanking him.

They were deep into a conversation about a new game that had come out when Luna called out, "Theodore!"

As he was pulled along, Neville tried not to fall on the heels he was walking in and summon up all the information he knew about Tracey in order not to screw up.

A smile spread across Theo's face when he saw them, "Daphne! Trace, what's going on?"

Not missing a beat, Luna answered, "We were wondering if you could help us? Neither of us can remember what the password is, it's been kind of an exhausting night."

"No prob," he answered. "You two been studying? We've got that test in History of Magic. I know you've been sleeping in there, Trace."

Neville froze for a moment, before letting out a nervous giggle, "Well, that'd be why we were working so hard today."

Theo clapped him on the shoulder before walking past, "Come on. You guys probably want to get to sleep."

Harry let his head thump against the wall, taking a deep breath, before scooting over into a position that would make it easier to hear what Theo was saying when he opened the door.

(-)

Charity looped her arm through Snape's as they walked down the street. Her cheeks were flushed a bright pink as she said, "Gosh, it's so cold out today."

"We could come back some other time if you'd prefer," Snape declared with a glance over at her.

She shook her head, brown curls bouncing around as she did so, "No! Christmas is almost here and we need to get our shopping for Harry done before too many stores sell out of the good things."

"If you insist," he sighed. He turned his head up, staring at the grey sky for a moment, before looking back at her, "What do you think we should get him?"

Her lips pressed together in thought before she sighed, "My mother asked me the same question yesterday. I just don't know. He got a broomstick from McGonagall last year, so I don't really see the point in spending so much money on a new one when the one he's got isn't that old a model."

"He's a bit too old for toys as well isn't he?" questioned Snape, looking down at her. "Kids tend to grow out of that sort of stuff before they get to Hogwarts."

Charity nodded her agreement, "I want to keep him in the Muggle world, some of their inventions are fantastic, but I want him to know about the Wizarding world too. I want him to enjoy all the things about both of them, it's a shame to limit him to just one."

"Perhaps I should get a hold of Narcissa?" he declared. "She does all of the Christmas shopping for Draco. She'll know what kind of things kids like at this age."

"No!" Charity insisted, shaking her head. "I want to do this by ourselves, just this year." She glanced around before saying, "I'd like to get him a muggle gaming system, their popular with the kids of his age. I have an old one for a section I do with my fourth years and they positively adore it, all the children with some kind of Muggle heritage seem to enjoy playing them on their vacations as well. But it's the wizarding part I'm not sure about..."

They walked in silence for a minute before Snape said, "Harry seems to enjoy Quidditch the most out of the things he's discovered. What if we got him a set of Quidditch balls to play with should he invite friends over this summer? And perhaps introduce him to some of the others sports in our world?"

"Oh!" She clapped her hands together as her smile widened. "That's an excellent idea! We should head over to Quality Quidditch Supplies and then go out to buy him one of the game systems and a few games. I don't want them to sell out, Muggle parents can be vicious when it comes to getting their sons and daughters just what they want." Closing the tiny height gap between them, she lifted onto her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek that seemed to rush all the blood in his body to his cheeks. "This is going to be a fantastic Christmas!"

(-)

"Mother, are you okay?" questioned Draco, sitting on one of the kitchen counters, watching as she whirled around the kitchen pulling ingredients from the cabinets.

It wasn't usual that she spent time in the kitchen but he's learned from Andromeda during one of his visits that she used to enjoy baking whenever she was stressed as a teenager, that she had been introduced to it by a cousin of theirs that had been into Muggle things but had said nothing else on the subject.

"I'm fine darling," she bit out, her tone harsh but reigned in. "Sometimes your father is just unbearable!"

He watched as she dumped what seemed entirely too much flour into a bowl before her fists banged against the counter. There was no movement for a minute, her head hung and her hair covering her face before a choked sob escaped her throat.

Draco realized, suddenly, that his mother wascryingbecause of something his father had done.

"Mom-" he began, reaching out for her with one of his hands.

She shook her head before straightening up, tears sticking to her cheeks but a smile plastered on her face, "Everything's fine, honey. Why don't you go to your room and start unpacking? I'll just call a house elf to clean this up, I've got some things to do."

His hand fell back to his side as he nodded numbly, "Okay, mother."

He made it all the way to the doorway before he looked back, finding her watching him with the same barely there smile and sad eyes.

(-)

There was a knock before Ron's door opened to reveal his father standing in the doorway.

"Your brothers are going outside to play Quidditch if you want to go join," Arthur declared. Ron made a motion to get up, to go join the game outside, but he held up a finger to stop the movement. "But I want to talk to you first."

"Oh dad," Ron groaned. "I don't know what the twins told you but everything isfine."

"I know," Arthur agreed as he moved, settling on the edge of Ron's bed. He waited to move until Ron had shifted so he was sitting next to him. "Your mother is worried about you all considering what's been going on at Hogwarts. I just want to make sure your being safe, taking in what happened and all."

"I'm fine, we're all fine," Ron declared, trying not to look at his father so the guilt of lying to him didn't get to him. "We're walking in groups and everything."

"I'm not going to ask you why you're lying to me, what's going on, or tell you not to do it," Arthur declared, placing a hand on his sons thigh, "but I'm going to give you a bit of advice okay?" Ron opened his mouth to protest only to be cut off by his father continuing, "Be his friend and make sure he knows that being Harry Potter doesn't mean he has to save everyone every time. He's allowed to let other people do it, you're only twelve after all."

He didn't wait for a response before patting Ron on the shoulder, "Now go catch up with your siblings before they start without you."

Ron made it all the way to the door before he hesitated and turned around, saying, "Thanks dad."

**E/n: **Whoa this chapter came out way faster then I was expecting!

Not much to say so xD

Once again: thanks to HpandWforever for betaing and answering all my questions when I needed to check facts and such.

_Next Time: Harry's Two Christmas's, Hermione, Blaise, and Luna and Neville have their own Celebration. _


	29. Chapter 28: Grandmothers-

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 28: Grandparents Christmas and Mothers Olive Branch**

Harry followed Charity up the stairs awkwardly, rubbing his hands along his forearms. "Are you sure they're going to like me? Charity I-"

He didn't have time to say anything else before Charity flung open the door to the upstairs, pulling Harry up the last one and shouting out, "Mama! We're here!"

"Charity, darling! Oh my god, that must be him right?!" Looking behind him, Harry caught a glimpse of an equally frightened Snape's face before he was swept into a hug. When the hug stopped, he was pushed an arm's length away and finally got a good look at the woman in front of him. She had the same kind smile and eyes as Charity but her hair was the colour of peppered snow. "You are so handsome! Welcome to the family, darling!"

"Uh um...thank you?" he stuttered out.

The women smiled, bringing a flour coated hand to her cheek, "Oh, darling, I must seem so strange to you! I'm just so excited to finally have a grand-baby to spoil, even if he didn't come from Charity's body. Your name is Harry, right?"

"Yes."

"Good, I didn't want to spell your name wrong on your presents so I left them blank but on your birthday I'll be sure to put your name on it." Something inside Harry seemed to bubble with joy at the mention of his birthday, a little reminder that Snape and Charity weren't just going to throw him back in with the Dursleys. "You can call me Grandma or Nana or even Hope if you don't feel comfortable with the other two. Now, would you like to meet Charity's papa?"

Harry bit his lip before nodding slowly, "I'd like that, Nana."

She paused for a second and Harry felt a rush of fear that perhaps he'd done something wrong before he was scooped into another hug. "You are just too precious!"

"Mama!" Charity's voice called down the stairs, as she peeked around the stairway, "where's the sugar? Severus takes his coffee with a cube."

Hope pulled away from Harry again, shouting up to Charity, "Just give me a moment, I'll be right up to fix it for him and your tea as well."

"I can make my own tea, mama!"

"Yes, but you'll complain all day if it's not made just right," she replied. She turned back, smiling at Harry, "Come on then."

Harry followed her up the stairs without a second thought.

(-)

"Mom?" Blaise called, rapping his knuckles against the bedroom door three times. There was a brief pause before the door swung open, revealing his mother dressed in light pink wizarding robes with a smile on her face. "Oh. Are you going somewhere?"

"No, darling. I just liked these ones." She did a half twirl, which Blaise clapped through with a smile on his face, before asking, "Why? Did you need something?"

He shook his head, "No I was just wondering if you would take me to Diagon Alley. We should get Robert a Christmas present, don't you think?"

"Agh! I was so busy shopping for you, I completely forgot about him," she exclaimed. She swatted at his shoulders, "Why don't you go put some robes on and we'll go right away?"

He nodded before walking away, "Which ones should I wear?"

"Any are fine," she declared, following him down the stairs. "I wonder what we should get him?"

"I don't know. I've never been shopping for a man before."

She made a non-committal hum before saying, "I know you get Draco something every year, would you like to pick that out? And something for your other friends as well! You can mail them from the post office and send Draco's using your own owl since he'll know whose it is."

Blaise stopped, glancing over at her, "Are you serious?"

"Mhm?" she didn't stop as she moved down the steps. "Of course I am. Do you not want to?"

"Of course I want to. Last year, you were against my being in a different house than Slytherin and now you want me to send my friends – one of which is a muggle – presents?"

"You're happy," she stated, turning around to look at him. Her robes flared out like rose petals and for the first time, it struck Blaise how much healthier she lookednowadays. She had always been beautiful, a woman didn't get that many ex-husbands by being ugly, but now it was a healthy beautiful with rosy, full cheeks. "That's all I've ever wanted, Blaise. For you to be happy and well taken care of."

(-)

Neville was sitting on the couch, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and his knees drawn up to his chest with a book in his hands, when Luna stepped through the door. Her blonde hair was whipped from the wind and her cheeks a cherry pink.

"Did you mail your letter to your father?" questioned Neville, glancing up at her.

She nodded, "Yes. I also sent one to Astoria, she's been feeling lonely sitting at home with just Daphne to keep her company."

Neville just smiled before turning his attention fully back to his book. Luna rocked on her heels for a minute, wondering what she should do, before discarding her coat and scarf on the chair Ron sat in when playing chess. She kicked off her boots as well before padding over to Neville. "What are you reading?"

"It's a book of Muggle fairytales I got from Hermione. These are what those movies we always watch are about," he answered, shifting so she could curl up in his chest. "We traded so she took my book of Wizarding tales."

Luna hummed, thinking about how much she had loved the Snow White movie they had seen, before lying her head on his chest and snuggling herself under the blanket, "Will you read me one?"

He smiled and pressed a kiss to her head, feeling a warm sense of family like he did around his parents, before marking his page and switching to another story. "Once upon a time there was a little girl who lived in a house with her stepmothers and two beautiful step sisters..."

(-)

Snape took a drink of his soda, a muggle drink that Charity's father – a muggle – was fond of, as he watched Harry sitting on the living room floor. The boy was bent over the floor with Raymond, Charity's father, messing around with the set of enchanted snooker balls that had come in the set he'd gotten for Christmas. Harry would roll one with the intent of getting over to the older man, unable to put the table up until they got back to their own home, but they had a mind of their own and veered horribly off path every time.

The whole time he refused to take off the black seeker gloves, rimmed with orange instead of the Gryffindor red of the ones the school had given him, he'd unwrapped. The rest of his presents, several still wrapped video games to put under the tree at their house until he unwrapped the system and a set of beaters clubs, sat in a pile next to Charity as the woman examined the set of over seventy different tea flavors she'd gotten from her parents.

"He's a delightful child." Glancing up, Snape found Hope leaning over the kitchen island with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands.

Snape's lips twitched, "I'm realizing that."

She made a small noise before saying, "You know, as a mother I just want Charity to be happy and you can be a family without begin together, so I'm not going to complain with the arrangement you two seem to have made where you raise this boy together and you do things like come to meet her parents but if you love her as much as you seem to, she won't turn you down."

"Wha-?" he stopped as his throat clogged with soda. He spent several minutes coughing before it finally stopped.

As he went to speak again, Hope straightened up and walked around the counter towards the living room. As she moved, she said, "Well, like I said I don't care what the relationship is as long as she and Harry are happy. Just watch yourself, young man, because if you don't make a move you might lose her to someone who does."

Words failed him as he gaped at her back.

_Next time: Harry's Christmas, Return of the Kids, and a diary where it shouldnt be._


	30. Chapter 29: The Mad Hatter

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 29: The Mad Hatter**

"Wait one more moment, Harry," Charity declared, watching from the couch with her cup of coffee in her hand and her pink pajama pants drawn up to her chest. On the floor, Harry sat surrounded by his presents waiting for Severus to join them. "He's almost finished, I bet."

Not a moment later, Severus emerged from the kitchen with his own steaming cup of coffee, "Let's get this over with so I can get back to bed."

"That's not how Christmas works Severus!" Charity sing-songed with a wag of her finger. "You have to help him put all his things together and play with him if he wants. Didn't your father do that with you?"

Severus didn't answer, just shooting her a meaningful glance to drop it over the top of his mug. Harry, however, took the silence as something else entirely and said, "You don't have to do that stuff. I'll be okay on my own."

"Don't worry about it Harry," Snape drawled. "There's nothing under that tree that I'd need to put together anyway."

"Come on, enough talking boys," Charity exclaimed, clapping her hands. "Open your presents, Harry!"

The boy seemed a little nervous as he reached for the one closest to him.

The room was filled with the crinkling of paper, laughter, and thank yous as Harry unwrapped his presents. He thanked them after each one and his smile got particularly bright when he opened his final present – a full set of Quidditch balls.

"Thank you so much!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet. He gave Charity a tight hug before bouncing over to Snape's chair. He threw his arms around the potions master without a thought.

Snape tensed up for a minute, every hair on his body standing up, before slowly reaching around and returning the embrace the same way Charity had minutes before. "Just make sure to keep that Snitch in the box when you're not using it. If you lose it, we're not getting you another one."

Harry was buzzing with excitement as he fell back to his knees in the pile of presents. He pulled the boxed NES into his lap, "Will you help me get this open, Charity? My cousin had one of these and he always seemed to have so much fun with it!"

"Of course, honey," Charity declared, sliding off the couch. Snape watched as they fussed with the box for several minutes before sighing and giving his wand, tucked away in the front of his robes as usual, a flick and watching as the top folded open.

Harry turned just a bit, smiling still, "Thanks, Snape."

"You can call him Severus, Harry," Charity stated, nudging the boy with an elbow. "Your allowed to call family by first names at home." Snape didn't say anything against it when Harry looked back for confirmation.

(-)

"Neville!" Blaise shouted the second he was inside the common room.

Draco snorted as he pushed past him, "We just got back. You're really already looking for him?"

"Shut up, Draco," came the short reply, followed by a bump of his hip. A grin spread across his face when he noticed Neville, Harry, and Luna coming down the staircase, "Nev's my new best friend after all."

"Mhm?" groaned Neville, reaching up to wipe the sleep from his eyes. "What are you talking about, Blaise?"

"Nothing, nothing," he waved it off. Reaching out, he grabbed Neville and planted a kiss on his cheek before slinging an arm around his shoulder, "Just missed you, buddy."

"Missed you too," Neville muttered halfheartedly, letting his head thump onto Blaise's shoulder. "It's too early for this though so I'll make a big deal about later."

A smile settled on his lips as Neville's eyes drifted shut again.

"So how was Christmas?" questioned Ron as Harry pulled away from their one armed hug. "Did you have fun?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah. I had fun. I spent most of Christmas playing video games because Professor Snape had me put my Quidditch stuff away until it wasn't so cold outside."

Ron cast him a sidelong glance before saying, "I'm glad you had fun. I don't – I don't know much about you before you came to Hogwarts but I can tell it wasn't good so..."

"It's fine," Harry interrupted his train of thought, bumping his hip against Ron's. "Let's do something today, okay? I missed you."

A smile spread across his face, "Yeah. Wizards Chess?"

"That's really not fair," Harry complained, following Ron over to the table regardless. "You're going to win no matter what I do."

Ron laughed as he pulled the board from the shelf, "You'll get better the more you play. Maybe some of my tricks will rub off on you."

Harry just hummed, a smile on his face as he waited for Ron to set everything up.

"There she is!" Draco exclaimed, dragging Hermione over to Luna. With a wide grin he pulled her into a hug. "She's still alive after spending all two weeks alone with the monsters!"

Luna's lips stretched into a tiny smile as she answered, "We had quite a nice time. Neville read a few stories to me and we played out in the snow for a while."

"Oh? Which ones did he read to you? Did you like them?" questioned Hermione as she gave Luna a hug of her own.

"Um..." she looked up, trying to remember the titles. "There was one called Cinderella and one called Beauty and the Beast. My favorite was the one about Alice."

"Alice in Wonderland," Hermione supplied gently. For a moment her mind swirled with the colors and characters of the book before an image of Luna in a giant hat drinking tea at a table too long for four people passed her mind. Her smile widened, "It suits you perfectly."

(-)

Harry swirled a finger around the empty diary, wondering what to do as he stared at the empty pages. After a moment he fished a quill from the pile of supplies, making a face when the red ink from the valentine undoubtedly sent by Ginny coated his fingers, and made a few quick strokes.

_Harry Potter_ blinked back at him for a moment before he watched it be absorbed into the pages.

His mouth dropped open and he struggled for words, wanting to call to one of his housemates downstairs.

Barely a bet passed before ink was on the pages again.

_Hello, Harry Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?_

**E/n: **Look at me finally advancing the plot.

I hope you guys like it, I'm going to try and add a little Padma/Michael/Hermione action again before she gets petrified but :/

_Next Time: A Mandrake Party, Class sign ups, a Quidditch match and two petrification. _


	31. Chapter 30: Things Hit Home

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 30: Things Hit Home**

"Neville!," Susan exclaimed as she rushed towards him, dressed in a pair of nice jean shorts and mustard yellow cardigan despite the cold weather. Her hand was linked with Hannah's, the blonde dressed in dark black jeans and a purple and black stripped shirt. "I'm so glad you made it! We thought you might have plans with your housemates."

He shook his head, a small smile on his face as he took of his coat, "Professor Sprout invited me after all. It would be rude not to come."

"I hope that's not the only reason you came by," Hannah drawled, a smile on her lips. "We've all missed you around here. You're always in the potions room taking extra lessons or doing something with one of your other housemates lately."

"I'm sorry," he apologized, wrapping an arm around Susan as the ginger came to him for a brief hug. "I really do try to be around as much as possible."

A smooth voice, deeper then Neville's own, cut into the conversation, "What are you girlies doing over here? Some of your friends are looking for you, you know."

"Oh! Thank you, Tony," Susan exclaimed, rocking on her heels as Hannah pulled away from her own hug with Neville. Neville followed her eyes to find a taller, though not by much, standing next to them with a cup of juice in his hand.

Upon noticing Neville's gaze, the boy hummed and leaned in slightly, "And who's this? I don't think I've seen him around before."

"This is Neville!" Susan answered, pulling on his arm to drag him closer to the other. "He's in Tigerlily and spends a lot of time either in here or with his housemates so it's no wonder you've never seen him Tony."

"Oh, you're one of the six that got sorted last year then?" Neville gave a shaky nod. The boy broke out into a large grin, "Well, I'm Anthony Rickett. You can talk to me anytime you need some help in Herbology okay?"

"O-Okay," Neville stuttered, his heart fluttering in a way he didn't recognize as watched the smiling boy.

Hannah gestured to Anthony as she explained, "Tony's a fourth year. He's a beater on our Quidditch team and one of Professor Sprouts favorite students. He spends a lot of time in here as well, I'm surprised you haven't bumped into each other before."

"Ah well, don't feel afraid to come in if you do see me, okay?"

Neville nodded, afraid his voice would squeak if he said anything. Susan latched back onto his arm and started pulling, "We're going to go catch up with the other second years then. Bye, Tony!"

They were halfway across the room before Neville choked out, "Oh my god."

Susan opened her mouth, her eyes tinted with confusion, but Hannah cut her off with a large smile, "He's amazing isn't he? And he likes plants as much as we do."

"I think I'm in love."

"So is every girl in Hufflepuff."

(-)

"Hermione!" Padma smiled brightly as she slid into the library seat across from Hermione, Michael behind her.

Michael must have seen something in the smile she returned because rather than saying hello, he questioned, "Is everything okay? You seem a little stressed."

"I'm-" she choked down the urge to tell the truth. To blurt out how stressful it was to come up with a reason for something when you didn't know anything about what was causing it. After a moment, she waved a hand, "I'm fine. I'm just having some trouble picking which electives to take next year. I wanted to pick them out before going to the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff match tonight.""

"Really?" Padma drawled, tilting her head. "I didn't have much trouble picking. Michael and I are going to take Arithmancy and Ancient Runes together. You should join us! It would be so much fun to finally have a class together."

Hermione felt a smile pulling at her lips, "It would be, wouldn't it? The classes sound fun as well."

"Better then Divination anyway," Michael snorted as he lowered into the seat next to Padma. "I know your sister likes it, Padma, but it's so stupid. There's no logic or reason behind it."

Padma shrugged, "I'm not a fan of it either. What about you, Hermione?"

"Oh well." Hermione looked up for a moment before saying, "I don't much care for Fortune Tellers at circuses or fairs but I was hoping Divination might have a bit...more behind it. I don't know much about it though."

"You're not missing much," Michael drawled. He tapped his fingers against the table as they lapsed into silence, both of the girls absorbing themselves in books from theshelves before standing up. "I'm going to see Professor Snape."

"Wha-? Didn't you just talk to him earlier?" questioned Padma, glancing up from what she was reading.

Michael hummed, "I did, but that was to make sure I could borrow some supplies to start a new potion. He told me it was okay, offered to just give me a set of keys to them so I wouldn't have to wait for him, so I'm on my way back to start it now."

She casted a wistful glance back at her book, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, stay," he shook his head. "Hermione and you will both be here for a while so neither of you will be alone."

"Is that okay with you?" Padma questioned, glancing over at the brunette. "I don't want you to feel like you're stuck with me."

Hermione was quick to shake her head, "No. We're friends, I never feel like it's a pain to be with you."

"I'll see you in the morning then Padma," Michael declared, ruffling the girls hair. Then he looked over at Hermione and added, "Don't be such a stranger, okay 'Mione? We'd like to see you outside the library occasionally."

"Ah, okay Michael."

(-)

"So you're telling me the diary is just gone?" questioned Blaise, his hands behind his head as he followed Harry down the steps towards the Quidditch pitch.

Harry nodded, "Yeah, but it was in my trunk Blaise. Someone would have had to get into the common room to get it."

Blaise hummed, "Did you talk to the others?"

"Yeah but all of them said they hadn't seen it when they got in last night." He ran a hand through his hair before sighing, "To top it all off, I heard that voice again earlier and Hermione went running off to the library."

Blaise whipped around, having been walking slightly ahead, "You heard it again?"

"This morning when you and Neville had gone to get breakfast and Ron and Hermione were helping me find my stuff considering I hadn't used it since before break," Harry confirmed. "I didn't mention it to you because we had to leave as soon as you got back."

"Merlin's beard, Harry," he sighed. They walked in silence for a while before he asked, "Did Hermione say why she was going to the library?"

"Not really. She just shouted something about having an idea about what it could be."

"Mhm, well don't worry about it okay?" Blaise drawled, giving Harry a light shove in the direction of the Gryffindor changing rooms. "Everything will be fine. I'm going to go track the others down in the stands and I'll suck some information out of Hermione when I find her."

Harry hesitated a moment before nodding, "Be careful okay? Don't let Draco push you down the Grand Stands."

Blaise laughed as he strolled away, "Draco couldn't push me down if he used his whole body."

"That's called a tackle Blaise. And I'm very sure he's tackled you to the ground before."

"Only because I let him, Potter! Only because I let him!"

(-)

The rest of the house, along with Astoria, were already gathered around Hermione when McGonagall ushered him into the hospital wing.

"Is she...?" Harry questioned as he squeezed in between Neville and Draco, the blonde latching onto him immediately. His nails dug into Harry's arm but he didn't mention it.

"No, she's just petrified like the others," Charity declared, her voice rough as she cradled Luna to her chest. "Professor Spr- Professor Sprout said the Mandrakes should be ready in just over a week."

They settled into silence before Ron growled out, "I'm going to kill whoever did this."

"Calm down," Blaise muttered, putting a hand on Ron's shoulder. "We're going to find whoever did this without anyone going to jail."

"He hurt, Hermione!" Ron shouted, whipping around. The two of them glared at each other, Ron's grip on Hermione's hand tightening and Blaise refusing to back down.

Neville reached out, grabbing onto the darker skinned boys back, "Blaise, come on. Just-"

"No! He has to know this isn't what Hermione would want. She would hate it if Ron, if any of us, got locked up, or worse died, for something like this! Do you know how upset she would be if she woke up because you couldn't control your emotions?"

"Shut up!" Ron screeched. He stood up, his chair clattering to the ground, and gave Blaise a hard shove before running out of the room.

Harry watched him leave before turning, "I'll go after him. You guys just watch Hermione, okay?"

There was a soft chorus of "okay"s and nods before he left the room.

"I'm – I'm going to talk to Professor Sprout," Neville declared after a moment, his voice shaking. "See if there's anything I can do to help."

"I'll go with you," Blaise said, taking a deep breath. "We'll grab some blankets and pillows from the common room on our way back down."

Charity nodded as she felt Draco shifting over towards her as well, burying his head in her side since Luna was burrowed into her stomach, "Be careful. Just straight there and straight back."

They nodded, Blaise leaning down to press a kiss to Luna's head, before leaving as well.

Charity watched them until the door clicked all the way shut, then she made a motion to Astoria, "Why don't you go sit by Colin? That's why you and Luna came to the hospital wing in the first place, right? You don't want him to feel alone."

"Y-Yeah okay," Astoria declared, giving a shaky nod.

(-)

"You have to promise not to do anything rash if it turns out Hagrid does know who it is petrifying people," Harry declared as he searched through his trunk for his invisibility cloak. "Blaise was right about how Hermione would feel."

Ron didn't say anything for a minute, staring at a spot on the wall, before he said, "What if no one ever catches him, Harry? What if whoever, whatever, is doing this never pays for the fact that he's hurt so many people?"

Harry straightened up, looking at Ron with the cloak in his hand, "You don't actually think anyone would let that happen do you?"

"I don't know," Ron sighed, flopping back onto his bed. "I don't know and I don't want to let that happen. Hermione, all of you guys, mean a lot to me and Luna's already lost two people to this."

"Everything will be okay," Harry said, slapping his hands against Ron's knees. "If we can defeat Voldemort trapped in our teachers head, we can figure out who's doing this and help the teachers catch them."

"Yeah, yeah I guess you're right."

"Come on then." Harry waited for Ron to sit back up before wrapping the cloak around their shoulders. "Ready then?"

"Let's go before the others realize we've been gone too long."

**E/n: **Told you guys you'd see Michael and Padma this chapter! Poor Luna too :(

Next is the chapter of giant spiders so prepare yourselves guys. Only three more to go until the end of the book.

Leave a review telling me what you want to see in the next Summer chapter okay?

_Next Time: GIANT SPIDERS, the wrong couple gets into an argument, and teary eye'd blondes, _


	32. Chapter 31: Teenage Angst

**Chapter 31: Teenage Angst**

Blaise bit his lip, hating the silence that had settled between him and Neville as they walked towards the common room. Typically, words flowed from both of them without any real thought behind them because they were so comfortable with each other but his whole body was tense with what had happened to Hermione.

"Hey," he drawled after a moment, brushing his arm against Neville's. He waited until the other had glanced over at him before continuing, "So how was that party you went to?"

"I-It-" Neville's voice cracked as he spoke forcing him to take a deep breath. Blaise watched him with a careful eye, hoping some of the underlying fear would slip out of his voice. "It was okay. I-Uh...I met someone."

"Really?" Blaise slung an arm around Neville's shoulders. He ignored the tumbling in his stomach, reminding him of a promise he made to himself long ago, and rubbed his fists against his hair. "What's her name, buddy?"

Neville felt his cheeks heat up as he ducked away from Blaise's grip. When the boy let him go, he tugged on his sleeves as he answered, "Ah...his. His name is Anthony."

Blaise seemed frozen for a moment before he felt his body shaking with anger as he let out a soft, "Are you fucking with me?"

"W-What?" Neville glanced around, suddenly feeling self concious as he hugged his arms around himself. It had seemed a given that Blaise, that the whole house, would accept him no matter what but. "Blaise w-why are you-"

"That's not fair!" Blaise screeched, his whole body shaking with the emotion behind it. Neville took another step back. "I was ready to give you up! I was ready to let Hannah or Susan or whoever you liked take you because I didn't have the right body parts. How am I supposed to see you everyday now, knowing the reason you don't like me is because of me? Because I'm a shitty person or because I don't look the way you want me to look!"

Neville's eyes widened, "Wha-? Blaise...what are you-I don't understand."

"I like you. I like you a lot, Neville," Blaise exclaimed, feeling the corners of his eyes sting. "How did you not pick up on that? I made a point to come seek you out in the greenhouse after Transfiguration even though it was so far away, I touch you too much too often, and you've always been the one I come to right after breaks because I miss you so much during them."

"I'm sorry!" Neville stretched out a hand, trying to grab the edge of his cloak only for Blaise to whip away.

Blaise took a deep breath, controlling his voice and turning away from Neville as he felt wetness on his cheeks, "It doesn't matter. Let's just go." He didn't wait for a response before beginning to walk away.

Neville watched him for a minute, wanting to say something more, but his heart pounded in his ears and his head spun, before finally trailing after. He wrapped his arms around himself as he walked, tilting his head down and pretending not to notice the way Blaise's shoulders shook.

(-)

The cloak fell off their bodies as Harry and Ron made it into the school, heaving with the need for oxygen and hearts beating so hard it felt like they would pop out.

"We almost got eaten by spiders," Ron whispered as his breath returned and the earlier events settled into his brain, his eyes wide as he turned to Harry. His voice rose, almost to a scream, as he repeated, "We almost got eaten by spiders!"

"I know, Ron. I was there," Harry answered. "Please be quiet before we get caught by someone."

They both fell silent afterwards, leaning their heads against the door before Harry spoke again, "Okay, let's get back to the hospital wing now. The others must be worried."

Ron nodded, making a move to get up only to stop. Neither of them said anything for a while, Harry staring down at the redhead, before he said, "Hey, Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"I really don't think I can get up."

Harry blinked several times as he stared at Ron, "What?"

"I can't get up. My legs aren't moving."

"It's a response some people have to particularly traumatizing events," Snape's voice cut into the conversation smoothly. Both boys felt their shoulders lock tightly, as he joined them with folded arms. "But what could have happened that would be so bad your body would shut itself down?"

There was a ringing sort of silence before Harry opened his mouth, barely moving it before Snape shook his head, "Not now. Help me get Ronald up to the hospital wing and then we'll discuss your personal punishment with Charity."

Harry hung his head and mumbled out a soft, "Okay."

Without another word, he followed Snape over to Ron – slinging one of the redhead's arms around his shoulders and trying to adjust to the difference in size when Snape did the same with the other.

(-)

The room rung with silence as Astoria finally fell asleep by Colin's side, her head resting on his stomach. Charity frowned as she turned to the two near her, Draco and Luna, both still awake. The elder had his knees drawn up to his chest and his eyes were watching Hermione intently while Luna had her hands wound together behind the chair with her eyes closed but her chest heaving in a way that made it clear she was up.

"Guys," Charity drew after a minute, choosing her words carefully, "talk to me, please. All you've done is cry and then you locked yourselves away, that's not healthy. You need to share, so it's not all bottled up."

Neither of them said anything for a minute before Luna spoke, "She asked me if I wanted to go down to the library with her but I told her no because Astoria wanted help with her Charms homework...I shouldn't have-"

"Oh honey," Charity cut her off. "You couldn't have possibly known what would happen and even if you had gone, things might not have changed at all or worse – you might have been lying on a bed as well. Losing one of you is bad enough, you think anyone could handle it if both of you were gone?" She looked over at Draco, "Is that your problem too? Do you think you could have stopped this?"

Draco didn't say anything but the way his hands tightened on his pants was enough to tell Charity what he thought.

She made a soft sound with her tongue, reaching out for both of their chairs and pulling them towards her so she could draw them to her into a tight hug. "Darlings, none of this is either of your faults. You're children, amazing fabulous children, but still children. You can't fix everything and that's okay."

Just as she saw a tear fall down Draco's cheeks and Luna's breath evened out, the doors slammed open and Blaise and Neville entered. They were far apart, a large gap of space between then, and Charity could tell something was wrong from the way Blaise pointedly avoided looking anywhere near the other.

She sighed, _teenagers._

**E/n: **Helllo guys~

I'm sorry if any of you guys feel like Beville came really surprising to any of you but I personally feel like I've hinted at it plenty with the way Blaise seeks Neville out frequently and is always touching him in their scenes.

Mhm, not sure what else needs addressed but if you have any questions include them in your review and I'll be sure to pm you or address it in the next chapter.

_Next Time: Siblings try to talk, Blaise and Neville still don't talk, and down the Rabbit Hole. _


	33. Chapter 32: The Three C's:

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 32: Three C's: Crying, Confusion, Conversation**

The common room was strangely quiet as the group bent over their books, each absorbed in a different subject. It wasn't the kind of tense, but easy and warm, silence that usually hung.

Draco could feel the anger flowing off Blaise next to him and see the way Neville's whole body screamed more than one kind of confusion. He saw the tiny bud of loneliness in Luna's eyes and the way Ron and Harry exchanged glances like there was some secret between the two of them they couldn't share with everyone else.

After another moment, he sighed and pushed himself off the table, "Okay, what's going on with all of you?"

Harry glanced over, "What are you talking about, Draco?"

"It's never this quiet!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "Not even during exams last year and apparently Blaise and Neville are fighting-"

"Mind your own business," Blaise snapped.

Draco ignored him, pushing on, "And you and Ron are obviously keeping something from the rest of us so someone had better spit something out."

The two of them glanced between each other before Harry said, "We snuck out to talk to Hagrid about something last night and we think Moaning Myrtle might know something about what's going on."

"What?" The whole room flinched at the sound.

"We were going to tell you guys after we checked it out," Ron drawled. "But then McGonagall dropped the exam bomb..."

"Because that totally isn't more important than exams," hissed Draco.

The room settled into an even more obvious kind of tense silence before Neville said, "Professor Sprout said the Mandrakes will be done in two to three days so we should talk to Myrtle soon just so we know she's not going to run out right afterward."

"We'll do it tomorrow after Transfiguration okay?" Harry drawled, glancing over at Ron. "The rest of you can keep studying and we'll tell you what we find when we get back."

Draco hummed, "Don't get hurt okay? No one is getting any more hurt than they already have been this year, understand?"

The words weren't meant for him, but a small chuckle escaped Blaise's lips and a stray thought of 'wouldn't that be nice?' passed through his head.

(-)

Luna sat in a chair by Colin's bed, trying to look at both Hermione and the boy at the same time. She'd been sitting in silence since arriving just after class but it was starting to feel suffocating and endless.

After another moment, she reached out and took Colin's hand in hers.

She slid a thumb across the back of his hand as she began speaking, "Astoria couldn't come today. We have exams now and you know how she is." She allowed a tiny chuckle to bubble from her mouth. "She's terrible at all of our subjects isn't she? We're going to have to watch out for her when she picks her electives third year."

Her grip tightened, "You definitely have to pick the same class as the two of us. I can't handle her alone, you know?"

Luna kept going, even as she felt her throat constrict and her eyes prickle, "It'll be so much fun to. We could finally have a class with all three of us together, it doesn't feel right with just one of you, you know?"

Her head fell, hung down as a curtain of hair shielded her from the world. She felt the first of the tears beginning to slide off her cheeks as her grip tightened and she choked out, "I can't do this anymore Colin. I can't take you and Hermione both being gone before I really got to spend much time with either of you." She couldn't help it if the next things out of her mouth were tiny choked sobs and heaves when her breath was gone.

Behind the curtain closed around them, Astoria slid down and brought her knees to her chest. She rubbed her eyes against them as they began to sting with tears.

"I miss you both," Astoria whispered.

(-)

Neville stared down at the book laid in front of him, wanting to read the words on the page but not able to make out what was in front of him. He heard a clack as something was dropped onto the table in front of him, opening his mouth to say something under the assumption it was one of his housemates only to be cut off by a tap on his chin.

Looking up, he met Anthony's blue eyes. His shoulders tensed as he greeted, "Hello Anthony."

The Hufflepuff peered at him for a minute before drawling, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"Whatever it is that not only made you tense up when I came around," came the answer. He tapped his fingers against the table when no one answered. "You can tell me, whatever it is. I want to help you in any way I can."

He stared down for a minute, playing with his fingers in his lap, before finally saying, "I have...a crush. It's nothing serious really, just a crush. But when I told a really close friend of mine about it, he got really mad at me and told me that he likes me a lot."

Anthony hummed, leaning his cheek against his palm, "Do you like this friend of yours more than your crush?"

"I don't-" Neville paused, thinking about everything over the past year and all the ways Blaise had made him feel before continuing, "I don't know. I like him in a way I don't my other friends. He makes me feel warm inside whenever he's around and I always feel wanted, appreciated. I always get really happy when he comes to find me too, it makes me happy that he would go through the trouble just to do that. And right now he's being horrible to me, I hate that he's ignoring me because I like when I make him smile. He's got a really great smile and he doesn't do it enough."

A smile blossomed across the Hufflepuff's face as he reached across – patting Neville's cheek, "I think you've got it then bud."

"Huh? Got what?"

"That thing you just described Nev?" Anthony drew, waiting until Neville nodded to continue. "That's someone you like. A crush is someone you like because of their looks or the good sides of them you've seen. It's the thing that leads to liking someone and then loving someone."

Neville glanced up at him, "Really?"

"At least the way I see it, it is," Anthony affirmed. He shrugged as he tilted his back in his chair, "But I don't know much about that kind of stuff. Maybe I'm wrong."

Neither of them said anything for a while, comfortable in their own thoughts.

(-)

Sprawled along the common room floor with Draco, Blaise rolled onto his back and dug the heels of his hands into his eyes as he groaned, "I'm done. I can't look at this book anymore. I don't care if I fail every single one of my exams."

"I'm exhausted," Draco agreed. He lifted his head, folding his arms and placing them over the book before placing his chin on them, and watched Blaise for a silent moment before saying, "Hey, what's the deal with you and Neville? You usually study with him."

"It's-" Blaise shook his head. "It's complicated. I just can't take being around him right now."

"You miss him though," the blonde observed.

Blaise gave a half smile, "That obvious?"

"The bags under your eyes were a big clue," Draco joked. They were silent for a minute before he questioned, "Hey, have you seen Ron and Harry since breakfast?"

Blaise thought about it for a second before saying, "I saw them running away from the staff room on my way over here to meet up with you earlier. When I asked they said they were going to talk to Lockhart about the Chamber."

"Ah," Draco hummed. "I guess we'll see them at lights out then."

**E/n: **So Harry and Ron would be down in the Chamber this chapter and this shows what is going on above ground. Of course you all know what's happening down there so I didn't feel the need to show you.

So for book three there are going to be some changes from canon implemented which I don't want to share right now for the sake of the surprise when it happens but hopefully you'll all like it! Since book three is so close please send in your reviews about what you'd like to see written during POA.

Thanks to our fantastic Beta - HPandWforever - for putting up with my ramblings, stupid ideas, good ideas, and horrible spelling mistakes.

_Next Time: Harry's upset with Dumbledore, Neville is upset with Blaise, sleeping beauty awakens with a potion and a kiss_.


	34. Chapter 33: Sleeping Beauty

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 33: Sleeping Beauty**

The door clicked shut as Harry placed the diary back on the headmaster's desk. When he turned to leave again Dumbledore called, "Stay for a moment, Harry. I want to discuss something with you, not related to the events of today."

Harry paused for a minute, trying to figure out if he was in trouble or if there was something he had missed, before turning around and walking back towards the headmaster. He gripped his wrist with his other hand, "Did I uh...Did I do something wrong, Professor?"

"The fault isn't yours no," Dumbledore said. "I just wanted to tell you that you'll be returning to Professor Snape's manor for only a day. I'd like you to pack and return to the Dursley's immediately after."

Something inside him ached at the words. He struggled for words, for breath, for a minute before finally choking out, "Okay, Professor." He wanted to move away, but instead he ended up blurting "Did they say why they wanted me to go back to my Uncles?"

"They didn't," came the simple reply. "In fact, Severus was quite adamant on the fact that he would not be sending you back at the beginning of the year. I've thought about it over the past year and decided that what's best for you would be to go back to your Uncle's." Harry found his legs glued to the floor even when Dumbledore sat down and focused on his paperwork on his desk. It was several moments before the headmaster looked back up, "Harry? Is there something else you wish to talk about?"

"No."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, "Do you not want to return to your dorms-"

"No, I won't go back to my Uncle's," Harry elaborated. He didn't wait for the older man to speak before ploughing on, "When Professor Snape and Professor Burbage took me in, I finally realized what it was like not to fear what would happen if I dropped a plate when doing the dishes. I'm still not completely used to that, or to having my own bedroom and being given presents. But I want to get used to that because it feels nice and there's this..." He clenched a fist over his chest. "There's this really nice feeling every time Professor Snape does one of those half chuckles when Professor Burbage says something or when she says she proud of me. I don't want to give that up. So unless one of the professors tell me they don't want me to stay, I'm going to stay with them."

Dumbledore opened his mouth to say something, only for the door to be pushed open. They both looked towards it, finding Charity standing in the doorway. There was a small smile on her face, her hands clasped behind her back, "Are you finished talking with Harry, Headmaster? We're administering the cure and he probably wants to be there to see Ms. Granger wake up right?"

Harry glanced back at him, "Are we done then, sir?"

He was quiet for a moment before nodding, "Go ahead. Give Ms. Granger my regards."

(-)

Draco was storming down the stairs when the halls echoed with a shouted, "Draco!"

He stopped, spinning on his heel, before his eyes caught sight of his father coming towards him. His father's robes were spinning around the bottom of his feet and there was a flare of anger in his eyes Draco knew all too well.

"Father," Draco greeted, trying to control the way he tensed up. "Why are you here?"

"I had a meeting with Dumbledore," Lucius snarled, his voice curled around the name like a pen on paper. He had a distant look in his eye, something hateful that sent a shiver of fear down Draco's spine.

Before Draco could say anything, Blaise's voice shouted down the hallway from the other end, "Draco! Hurry up, Hermione is going to wake up any moment now."

"I'm coming!" Draco shouted back, turning half way to look back at him. Blaise watched him for a second, something searching in his eyes, before nodding and disappearing again.

"Hermione? As in the mud-"

"I've got to go, father," Draco murmured. He waited a moment before spinning around and taking off at a run. He could hear his father calling for him, but he kept pushing until his legs felt like jello and his breath was coming out in pants.

When he finally stopped, he pressed against the wall. He tilted his head back, the wall cold against his hair, and took a deep breath.

His head was spinning with thoughts of Hermione and his father. Familiar words echoed through his head – filthy, mudblood, no good – and the louder they got the tighter he squeezed his eyes.

His feet slipped under him, lowering closer and closer to the ground, until he was balled together with his head between his knees.

"I'm not going to be my father," he muttered as tears sprung to his eyes.

And a tiny voice whispered in his head,_ That's what makes you a Tigerlily_

(-)

The hospital wing was quiet for the first time in hours as Ron entered. A glance over at Colin's bed confirmed that Astoria must have run out to find Luna when the news of his and Harry's adventure had traveled up.

He flopped into the seat next to her bed with a sigh, his body still tense from the earlier events. He sat back for a moment, his head leaned back against the chair.

"Hermione," he spoke softly, but sure of his words, "you really have to wake up soon. I don't know if I can handle this anymore. Since you've been in here I've almost gotten eaten by giant spiders and found out my sister was helping the Dark Lord and-" He let out a groan as he flopped forwards, his forehead bumping into his hands. "Everything makes so little sense without you around. It's ridiculous – like just because you're gone everything suddenly turns upside down."

He looked at her, a barely noticeable smile on his face, "So hurry up and let the medicine kick in, Little Miss Know it All." Unconsciously, he gripped at the pendant she'd given him in first year – still tucked under his shirt, "Because for everything else that's gone on – you're still my good luck charm on exams."

Ron sat there for another moment before standing up, "I'm going to go see if I can't help track down the others. Merlin knows how often Neville gets lost around here."

He took a step forward but quickly stepped back and swooped down.

His lips pressed against her forehead in a soft kiss before he strolled out of the room, his heart hammering.

As the door shut behind him, Hermione's eyes fluttered open. She blinked several times, feeling groggy and unsure why there was such a warm fluttery feeling in her chest.

(-)

"Colin you stupid!" Astoria cried as she flung herself into his arms. He barely had time to catch her, sending them tumbling back onto the bed even though he had just stood up.

He winced as pain spread down his chest, his muscles tight from not having been used, "'Tori that-" He stopped as something wet spread across his tee-shirt. He blinked several times, "Are you- Astoria are you crying?"

"Of course she is," Luna interrupted. Colin turned his head to look at her, unconsciously wrapping one of his arms around Astoria's back, to find the blonde with tears of her own streaking her cheeks. "We were worried about you."

Colin reached his other arm out for her and without really thinking about it, Luna crawled onto the bed with them and buried her head in his side.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, hooking his chin around Luna's head and rubbing circles on Astoria's back. "I didn't mean to get hurt like this."

They all fell silent for a minute before Astoria said, "We should make a pact. Not to ever get severely injured because it hurts whoever gets left behind too much. Waiting for you to wake up was unbearable, Colin. I can't imagine being able to do it if both of you was hurt."

"Agreed," Colin declared, nodding.

Luna nodded herself, "I promise not to get hurt if you guys don't."

(-)

The hospital wing was buzzing with noise as the house spoke loudly amongst themselves. Colin had been moved onto Hermione's bed with the girl and the rest of them had packed into chairs around the duo, laughing and sharing stories from the time the two had been out while trying not to convey how wrecked they had all been in those weeks.

"Hey," Blaise nudged Draco's shoulder, ignoring the puffiness around the blonde's eyes, "I'm going to step out to take a few deep breaths okay?"

Draco nodded, slapping Blaise's butt as he walked away, "Hurry back."

"That's sexual harassment, Malfoy and I'm not afraid to sue you," Blaise sung, flashing a wink back at the boy. There was a snort of laughter as he finally stepped outside the hospital wing, instantly enveloped in the silence outside.

His ears rung as he took a seat outside the door, relaxing in the silence and the feeling of finally being just a little less worried.

It was several minutes after he had stepped outside that he heard the door open and shut. "Draco, I told you-" he turned, eyes open, to find Neville standing with his hands behind his back. "What are you doing out here?"

"I just want to talk to you," Neville said.

"Then talk," Blaise shot back.

"I just – I like you Blaise, possibly the way you like me, but you can't just dump something like that on me and expect me to be able to give you a yes or no answer," Neville exclaimed. "I need time to think and sort my thoughts out. I don't want to just jump into something with you so that you don't hate me, only to have you hate me anyway if it doesn't work out because I wasn't ready."

Blaise let his eyes flutter shut again, "Neville, I could never hate you and that's part of the issue." He cracked his neck before looking at him again, "It's okay, Nev. Just – Take your time, do whatever you need to. Just please, don't tell me about it when you like someone else." Brushing off his pants, he wrapped an arm around Neville's shoulders and steered him back into the room, "Come on, we shouldn't keep the princess waiting, right?"

(-)

Snape pushed the door open, letting Charity and Harry enter first.

"Ah it's nice to be home," Charity sighed. Harry nodded next to her, his grip tight on his trunk.

"Harry, are you feeling okay?" Snape questioned as he closed the door.

Harry floundered for a moment before shaking his head, "No. Professor Dumbledore told me he wanted me to go back to the Dursley's but -"

"Hey," Charity interrupted, dropping her trunk and gripping his shoulder. She crouched down to his height, "Honey, we want you here. I-"

"We," Snape corrected.

They exchanged a look before Charity's smile blossomed wider and she nodded, "We would not have let you go back there. You want to stay here right?"

"I- Yes," he murmured.

"Then you can stay," she assured, pulling him into a hug. "You might not feel it, Harry, but the three of us are a family and none of us are going anywhere."

It took a minute, but soon enough Harry relaxed into the hug and wrapped his arms around her. "Okay."

**A/n: **and thats a wrap on book two.

I'm really proud of this chapter guys. I'm going to go as far as to say it's the best one yet. I think it was rather tasteful the way I wrapped everything up.

You know, I'm interested - do you have a favorite chapter? Maybe one that makes you smile or you love the way it was written? And what was your favorite scene in this chapter? Do you have a favorite character - a favorite Tigerlily or one of their friends?

POA starts after the next two summer chapters so remember to send some ideas in for what you'd like to see during that and the summer. I have most of the really big plot points figured out already but if you want a scene between two characters please tell me!

_Next Time: Two Boys Realize how Nice Dads are and One Remembers that "Dad" doesn't mean "Hero"_


	35. Chapter 34: The Summer of Daddy-

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 34: The Summer of Daddy Solutions and Issues.**

Blaise laid across the couch, not really doing anything other than staring at the ceiling. Distantly, he heard the front door creak open.

Several minutes later, Robert's voice flowed through the room, "What are you doing in here, son? Thought you were going to visit Theo?"

"I just didn't feel like it," Blaise answered, turning on his side. He stretched his legs out, his joints cracking at the sudden movement. "It's really boring just sitting around here, though."

"Then go do something," Robert exclaimed. "You've done nothing but sit here since you got home. Draco, Harry, and Theo have all asked you to go over and you've declined every time."

Blaise shook his head, "I just don't want to."

There was a pause before Robert walked over, seating himself in front of Blaise. They stared at each other for a moment before Robert reached up, running a hand through Blaise's hair, "What's wrong, Blaise? I can't help you figure it out if you just avoid everyone like this. Your friends are worried about you too, you know?"

Blaise was silent for a minute before saying, "Neville told me he loved me back, then said he needed to think about it before giving me answer. If – If he calls to tell me he wants to meet up, I want to be here so I can answer."

"That's what this is about?"

The boy huffed, pulling away and shifting so he was curled into the back of the couch and closed his eyes, "It's stupid, I know. He's probably not going to call anyway."

"Of course he's going to call, but Blaise you've only been out of school a week. This is a big decision for him but that doesn't mean you should waste your summer."

They were both silent for a minute before Robert let out a sigh and grabbed Blaise's arm, yanking the boy off the couch. He let out a screech as he went tumbling to the floor.

His chocolate eyes narrowed in a glare as he bit out, "What the hell, Robert!"

"There's the Blaise I love," Robert threw his head back and laughed, his hands on his hips.

Something inside Blaise felt warm at the words, in the way it felt when Snape praised him or when he'd been younger and his mother kissed his cheek before sending him to his room for bed, and for a moment he just watched before spitting out, "You're so stupid, dad."

Immediately, Robert stopped laughing and his head snapped down to Blaise. "D-Did you just call me...?"

"It's not a problem is it?" Blaise grumbled, folding his arms across his chest. "You are my dad."

"No, I'm just really glad you think so Blaise," Robert answered. A smile spread across his features as he ruffled Blaise's hair, "Come on then. It's time to stop moping."

"I don't wanna go to Theo's," Blaise moaned trying to pull away as the elder man helped him to his feet.

"You're not going to Theo's. I'm taking you out to a park or something. You need to get some sunlight, you haven't left the house in days."

"No I don't! I could just sit here and wither away until he calls. That'd be okay with me!"

"It's not okay with me, so get up and let's go," with a final tug, Robert got Blaise out of the living room door and shut it behind him.

(-)

Harry rushed into the living room, clutching the paper to his chest, exclaiming, "Charity! Charity, could you take me to-" He stopped when he found Charity wasn't in the living room, but instead Snape sat in the loveseat with a book and his reading glasses on.

Snape glanced up at him, "What is it, Harry?"

"Oh uh-" He glanced down at the paper in his hands before shaking his head. "Do you know where Charity is?"

"She went out to see some friends of hers," Snape answered. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No." Harry shook his head. "I just wanted...Well there's this muggle movie that's just come out called Home Alone two. My cousin once saw the first one, I mean they wouldn't let me watch it with him but I peeked out at it from under the- from my bedroom and it was a really good movie."

Snape looked at him for a minute before saying, "I may not be as good...company as Charity but I'll take you to see the movie, if you'd like."

Harry clutched the paper tighter, "R-Really? Are you sure?"

"Yes. Go put your muggle clothes on and I'll get us a ride to the nearest muggle city."

"Thank you Severus!" Harry exclaimed. On instinct, he rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Snape in a tight hug. "Thank you so much! You're the best dad ever!"

Without saying anything else, he turned and dashed back up the stairs in search of his clothes, leaving a stunned Snape staring after him. After a moment, he mumbled, "Dad, huh?"

(-)

The door shut behind Draco with a snap that echoed through the front hall.

Shaking his hair free of any dirt it had gathered while he was with Tonks, he moved through the house towards the living room to tell his mother he was home.

At first the house was silent, the only noise his feet slapping against the tile as he walked, but once he got deeper into it he started hearing voices.

Whispers, then normal speech, and when he reached the walkway to the living room all he heard was screaming.

"You don't even try with him anymore!" Narcissa was screaming, her voice rough and angry. "It's like just because he's not in Slytherin, he's not your son!"

Lucius's voice bounced off the walls, his tone venomous and biting, "You're letting him associate with mudbloods and blood traitors! With the Potter boy! How do you think our lord-"

"Your lord!" Narcissa hissed, and Draco could see as he advanced forward poking his chest. "Your lord. Bella's lord. Not my lord. You two dragged me into this and I will not let you drag Draco down as well!"

"Drag him- You're the one keeping him from fulfilling his potential!" Lucius screamed. "If you would stop spoiling him, he would learn how to-"

"He would forget how to be a kid! He has had more fun, has smiled more and opened up more, since going to Hogwarts than he ever did before!" Her hands were pressed fully against his chest now, shoving at him, "And it's because of them that he's such a good person, not because of us!"

Draco couldn't take it anymore, his heart pounding and a sinking feeling in his gut, he clapped his hands over his ears and slid down the wall as his eyes began to prickle. He buried his head in his knees, their shouts still heard, just muffled, and couldn't help the broken way he muttered, "Someone please get me out of here."

* * *

**E/n: **Here you guys go, the first chapter of the summer! Things gt a bit emotional in this for Blaise and Draco don't they?

Okay so, the next chapter _may _take a little longer then usual because I'm turning my focus to a 6-part Roosterteeth story but I've already got two parts done and half of the 3rd so it may not take long enough for you guys to notice.

Happy Ficcing Guys!

_Next Time: Somethings with Hermione and Ron (serperately) and somethings with Neville and Blaise (together)_


	36. Chapter 35: Letters and Expectatons

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House **

**Chapter 35: Letters and Expectations**

Hermione's tank top clung to her developing curves as she entered the house.

"Mama, it's too hot outside," she complained as she reached for the fridge to grab a popsicle from within.

Her mother smiled, reaching around to ruffle her hair, "Then why don't you come read in here with your father and I?"

She shook her head, her curls bouncing off her shoulders, "No, I want to get a-" her cheeks flushed a bright pink. "I want to get a tan like some of the older girls in school."

"A tan-" her father whipped around in his chair. "Why would you need one of those? You're too young to be doing that for boys!"

"Shush," her mother shot back, tapping the newspaper against his leg. "She's thirteen. That's a perfectly nice age to be getting interested in boys."

"Wha- It is not!" he squeaked. "She's just – She's just a baby still."

Hermione squeaked herself, "I am not a baby, daddy! I'm thirteen!"

"Thirteen, that's practically two!" he shot back. "You're not old enough to be tanning yet, baby girl."

Hermione glared at the back of his head for a moment before her mother sighed, "There's some lotion in the back of the cabinet honey. Make sure you put some on before you go back out, okay?"

"Thank you mommy!" She darted forward and wrapped her mother in a tight hug before skipping up to the bathroom to find the bottle.

(-)

"Hogwarts letters," Percy declared, tossing Ron's to him as the boy came flying down the hotel stairs into the breakfast area, "and that omelette is yours. Mom ordered it for you to eat before we headed out – she wants us all to go site seeing since Bill has the day off."

Ron nodded as he pulled the plate towards himself, taking several bites before turning his attention to the letter. When he looked up, he found Fred and George were also bent over theirs with a perplexed look on their faces.

"Hey Perce," Fred called after a moment. "Is it uh...is it possible for one person to have two mentors?"

"Mhm?" Percy half turned from where he sat examining the shiny head boy badge he'd found in his letter almost an hour ago. "Well, I suppose it's possible for a person to have two mentors if they were an extreme case. Why do you ask?"

"We've got the same name on our letters."

The apple juice Ron had just taken a sip of spewed all over the table as he exclaimed, "You two actually got chosen to be mentors? Who's the poor Gryffindor?"

"Not a Gryffindor," George declared.

"What? Who is it then?" Ron asked, attempting to look over the table. The twins pulled their letters off the table. "Hey! I was trying to look at those!"

"It's none of your business, Ronnie," Fred sing-songed as he spun away from the table.

George followed with, "Why don't you focus on who your mentor is? Who do you think you'll get?"

"I don't know. It's not even possible to tell is it? I don't hang out with any fifth years who would request me so..."

"Well I'm sure you'll get someone nice," Percy declared, clapping a hand on Ron's shoulder. "Now clean your juice up before Mom and Ginny finish getting ready."

(-)

Luna shifted nervously on Astoria's bed, feeling out of place in the large room and extravagant room.

The walls were painted a deep purple colour and red and purple drapes dripped off the ceiling and bed. There was a bookshelf lined with wizarding magazines and several different large plastic boxes of make up to the left of the door. On the wall closest to the bed, there was a second shelf with a stack of CDs and a large radio. The biggest feature of the room was that the whole right wall was replaced with large double doors leading to a huge walk in closet which Astoria had disappeared into only moments before.

"Urm...Tori?" she called out hesitantly. "Are you going to come out of there at some point?"

"Coming, coming!" a muffled voice shouted back. It was several more moments before Astoria emerged, her face covered by the massive pile of clothes she carried in her arms. She let the pile fall to the floor before kneeling down next to it and pulling out a black skirt and a shirt and throwing them towards Luna. "Put those on, okay? I'm going to figure out how I should do your make up."

"Is there a reason we're doing this?" questioned Luna. She glanced around for a minute before adding, "Where should I change?"

"Mhm? Right there is fine, we're both girls after all," Astoria commented as he flashed a grin back at Luna. "I promise not to peek."

Luna hesitated for a minute before hoisting her shirt over her head. As she was changing, Astoria dug through a royal blue make up box for several moments before saying, "As for the other question, I guess it's because I like doing this. I like making people feel pretty, and the way they smile when they feel that confidence. It'd be nice if there was something like this in the wizarding world."

"There's uh..." She thought of what Hermione had told her before saying, "There's a job in the muggle world for people like that. It's called a Stylist – they pick clothes out for celebrities or do their hair or their make-up."

Astoria let a soft sigh as she straightened up with a smaller heart shaped box, "It must be nice to be a muggle. They have so much more they could dothan us."

"You could always work in a muggle city," Luna suggested.

A sharp laugh escaped Astoria's throat, "We may be a pretty laid back pureblood family, Luna, but I'd still get disowned for something like that and I'm painfully aware of it."

(-)

The park was filled with laughter and parents shouting as Neville and Blaise walked down the path. Blaise's hands were shoved into his pockets and his head turned towards the sky with a small frown on his lips.

It made Neville want to reach out and hug him.

Instead he floundered for words until Blaise looked down with a tiny smile twitching on his lips, "Can't find the words to reject me with huh?"

"Wha- No!" Neville exclaimed. Then immediately revised, "Not- not that I couldn't find the words, but no, I wasn't going to reject you! Because I mean – your Blaise and you make my stomach fill with butterflies and you make me happy and I just- Ugh I'm so bad at this."

Blaise was silent for a minute before he tilted his head back again, laughter flooding out of him. Neville stared at him, jaw hanging open even as his heart raced in his chest. After a while he finally managed to spit out, "Blaise wh-why are you...?"

"I'm just so happy," Blaise laughed, clutching his stomach. "I didn't – I thought for sure you were going to reject me but I sat by the phone all summer anyway."

"Please tell me your exaggerating."

"Oh god, I wish. I was bloody pathetic, Neville. Robert had to physically drag me out of the house more times than I can count."

Neville blinked several times, "That's really not...Merlin, I don't even know what to say to that."

"Don't say anything," Blaise answered. He straightened up, wiping tears from his eyes as he slung the other arm around Neville's shoulders, an action that while perfectly normal for them sent a new kind of warm through Neville. "It's pathetic and I know it. Now let's go catch my mom so she can take us out to lunch. All the worrying I've done in the past hour has me starved."

Neville nodded with a large smile, "Okay."

**_E/n: _**Turns out, I didn't need such a big break from this story after all!I hope you guys like this - something nice and sweet - since the last few chapters of COS were so dark. So lots of love to PossiblyMichaelJones over on tumblr for betaing the RTfic so quickly and HPandWforever for betaing this so quickly for you guys.

_Next Time: There's an argument, a dog, and a train ride_


	37. Chapter 36: Arguments

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 36: Arguments **

The living room was a flurry of trunks and last minute packing as Charity called out to Harry, "You've got everything right? Your money and all of your school things?"

"Yes," Harry answered, watching as Snape hustled Charity out of the kitchen.

"And you're sure you're going to be okay by yourself?" Charity questioned, batting her hands at Snape as he pushed her.

"He's only going to be alone for a night," Snape insisted. "Charity we're going to be the last ones there and so help me if we're late-"

"Oh!" Harry exclaimed, suddenly remembering something.

Snape let out a groan as Charity moved out of the path way of the door towards Harry, "What is it darling?"

He dug around his pocket for a minute before pulling out a piece of paper, "Will you sign my permission slip to go to Hogsmeade before you leave?"

Charity eyed the slip in his hand before turning to Snape, "Severus..."

Snape gave her a look before sighing. Walking over to them, placing a hand on the small of Charity's back, he said, "Harry, there's some things going on and we don't want you going to Hogsmeade considering them. Maybe next year though, okay?"

"What that's not-" He fumbled for words before finally spitting out, "That's not fair! Everyone else gets to go! I thought I would be able to do all the cool wizard stuff the others get to do now!"

"Oh Harry, you will," Charity insisted, reaching out for him. "But right now is just not a good time for you to be doing that."

"Why not?" he questioned, jerking away before her hand could touch him.

A hurt look settled into her eyes as Snape growled, "Do not speak to your mother like-"

"She's not my mom! In case you didn't hear, mine is dead!" Harry screamed.

There was a beat of painful silence before Harry turned and ran up the stairs towards his bedroom.

"Harry-!" Charity called out, making a move to follow him.

She was stopped by Snape's hand on her arm and a shake of his head. "I don't know what's going on his head, but you can't help him right now, Charity. He needs to sort that out himself."

She squeezed her eyes shut, "I know, but I wish we could have told him that we were only worried about him."

"And reveal that his godfather killed his parents? He's only thirteen, he can't deal with that kind of knowledge."

(-)

The next night found Harry sitting on the curb, his trunk under him, and his knees drawn up to his chest - a huge sense of guilt in his gut and no one to apologize too.

He wanted to do something – to take back all the mean words he'd said because they weren't true at all -but there was no one to apologize to with Snape and Charity already at Hogwarts.

He sighed, glancing up the street as if the bus popping up would take away the feelings in his chest.

When he glanced back, Harry found himself staring into glowing red eyes. A scream escaped his throat and he tumbled back, scrambling on his hands and feet.

The dog kept advancing though, not at all affected by his rapid movements.

Just as it seemed like he was done for, there was a whirling sound followed by a whimper and then words that sounded like heaven to Harry even though he couldn't see who was speaking.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Stunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve-" the voice stopped and Harry peeked his eyes open to see a man and a bus, absolutely no trace of a dog. "What were you doin' down there?"

(-)

When Draco swung open the door to the compartment, he found the rest of the house packed together and a man sleeping against the window.

Ron and Hermione were sat on the seat next to the man, Luna sitting between Hermione's knees as the older girl ran her hands through the blondes hair. On the other side, Blaise sat with his feet out along the seat and Neville in between his legs, his back resting on Blaise's chest, and Harry at the end of his feet with a frown.

"Why are we sitting back here herded together like sheep?" he questioned as he walked in, Ron helping him with his stuff.

"This was the only place that wasn't already full. We wanted to all sit together," Luna stated. She waved a bit, "Hello Draco."

"Hey Luna," he answered, mussing her hair as he passed to squeeze in between Harry and the window.

Before he made it very far, Blaise's hand darted out and grabbed his. They stared at each other for a while before Blaise said, "You okay?"

Draco swallowed hard before nodding, "Yeah. You?"

Blaise regarded him with half closed eyes before letting his hand drop and come back to Neville, his arms wrapped around the others front, "Yeah."

As he squeezed himself next to Harry, the blonde noticed something off about the way he had the tip of his finger caught between his teeth and his shoulders tense with emotion.

"Hey," he nudged Harry lightly so as not to bump him into the other two. "Is something going on?"

Harry was silent for a minute before he nodded and straightened up, "I think I need to tell you guys something."

Hermione shifted, worry filling her eyes, "What is it, Harry?"

"The night I left the house something happened..."

They all leaned in unconsciously to listen to his tale.

And if the professor twitched just a little bit as well, no one took notice.

_**E/n**_**: **Two chapters in one day! oh yeah~

It'd be nice if you still left a review for each chapter - so i knew your thoughts on them individually - but no pressure.

_Next Time: I introduce the tradition known as "mentoring"_


	38. Chapter 37: Introducing Traditions

**Chapter 37: Introducing Traditions**

"You shouldn't worry about it," Snape declared, half perched on Charity's desk as she looked down at the pictures spread out in front of her. "You've made a good decision with each of them. Possibly better than some of my kids have."

"I doubt that," Charity sighed. "I worry about them-"

Their conversation was interrupted by a soft knocking on the door before it swung open to reveal Harry.

"Oh! Harry, honey, your meeting isn't for another ten minutes," Charity exclaimed, shuffling the papers on her desk into her folder before shoving them into a drawer.

He shifted from foot to foot in front of them before rushing out, "I'm really sorry about what I said the other night. I didn't mean any of it – you're my parents no matter what."

There was a beat of silence before tears swelled up in Charity's eyes and she made her way around the table, pulling him into a hug, "Oh honey, we know."

"It's nice to hear it from you anyway," Snape commented.

There was a moment of just silence, the two of them hugging and Snape watching from the desk with something fond in his expression before Charity turned, her chin still hooked over Harry's shoulder, "Are you coming over here or what?"

"What?" his eyebrows knitted together. "Why would I go over there?"

"Because your part of this family too Severus," Charity sighed, yanking on his leg. He went stumbling off the desk and towards the duo. They wasted no time in pulling him into a hug with them.

Even though he was scowling, Snape wrapped his arms tightly around the two, as if protecting them from some outside force.

* * *

"Okay, so welcome to your first mentor meeting!" Charity exclaimed, scooting herself onto her desk and looking at the two boys sitting in front of her. "We're only going to have a few of these to make sure you guys get along but afterward you won't have to come in any more okay?"

They both nodded.

"Okay then!" She clapped her hands together. "Harry," she gestured from the third year to the caramel haired boy next to him, "This is Cedric Diggory. He's going to be your mentor okay? Do you have any questions?"

"Yeah um..." Harry hummed and looked over at Cedric. "What exactly does a mentor do? I'm not used to all the customs of Hogwarts yet."

Cedric glanced up at her, waiting for her to nod, before saying, "Well, basically it means I'm here for you, at least until I graduate, no matter what you need. If you just want to talk about your everyday life or about what you want to do after school or if you need help with a certain spell, all of that's okay and some more too. The point is just for you to have someone you can talk to without all the pressures of the fact that you share a common friend or that you feel embarrassed about something."

Charity nodded as Cedric spoke. Once he finished she added, "That's the important thing to remember, Harry. Whenever you talk to Cedric it is a completely safe and free zone. The reason you guys were paired together is because you share similar values or personalities, something that will make you get along well so you'll feel safe sharing with him."

"I think I get it," Harry said slowly.

Cedric smiled at Harry, "I hope we can get along Harry."

Harry smiled back, giving a fast nod, "I hope we can too!"

Charity tapped the back of her heel against the desk, getting their attention, then said, "Why don't the two of you go out and talk for a while? You don't have to do anything too personal since you just met, just get to know each other."

"Are you okay with that Harry?"

The younger boy nodded as he stood up, "Yup! You can lead the way, you probably know more about the school than I do."

Cedric laughed as they left, "I'm not quite sure about that. I hear you have had quite an interesting two years."

Charity watched them leave with a smile, feeling as though maybe she didn't need to worry about the pairs she'd picked.

* * *

"You're my mentor?" Neville exclaimed, his mouth hitting the floor when he walked in to find Anthony already deep in conversation with Charity.

Anthony rounded on him, smiling widely, "Neville! Hey, bud."

"Anthony requested that you guys be paired together," Charity explained as Neville settled into his chair. "He said that you confided in him last year and that he would really like to continue that relationship with you. After I thought about it for a while, I figured this would work for you." She took in the look on Neville's face before saying, "Is it an issue for you?"

Neville shook his head, "No! I mean – It's easy for me to talk to Anthony." He pursed his lips together before saying, "It's just that – that Blaise and I are kind of um...going out now. And I used to have a tiny crush on Anthony and I'm not sure he'll be okay with it?"

"You had a crush on me?" Anthony asked, blinking several times.

Charity followed with, "I'll talk to Blaise about it when he comes in to meet his mentor, Neville. As longyou'reokay with Anthony being your mentor though, I think this would be a nice match for you."

"Shit, Nev were you just going to never talk to me, you little shit?"

"Language, Anthony," she drawled, glancing over at the fifth year.

Neville shuffled, trying to figure out who to address before nodding, "Having as Anthony is okay with me."

"You're not getting off this easy," Anthony accused as he stood up. "Professor, Neville and I are going to have a talk okay?"

Charity watched with a smile as Anthony locked Neville in a headlock, whispering angrily while Neville waved his hands around in apology, both with fond smiles on their faces.

* * *

The door shut behind Blaise, echoing down the hallway, as he stepped outside with Sullivan.

"So what'd she want to talk to you about?" questioned the fifth year, his hands behind his head as he pushed off the wall.

Blaise shook his head, "Nothing really. My boyfriend got an old crush of his for a mentor and apparently he was worried about the way I'd react."

"You cool with it?"

Looking up at the ceiling as they started walking, Blaise answered, "Not really, but I'm not going to say anything about it. I trust Neville, and I'm assuming him saying yes to me meant he was over Anthony. Besides, he likes talking to him, it's easy for him to rant about plants and personal stuff that he feels uncomfortable talking to our housemates about."

"You're a better person than I am," the Hufflepuff laughed as he clapped a hand against Blaise's shoulder.

"Mhm? Is that even possible? I mean – you're a Hufflepuff."

Sullivan shook his head, "I think you have the wrong idea here. Being a Hufflepuff doesn't necessarily make me a saint. It means I do the right thing, that I put others before myself."

"People are always saying this kind of stuff," Blaise huffed out. "Why are all of you so sure your house means something no one else thinks it means?"

"Because it comes to you. One day, something will happen and you'll wake up knowing who you are and why you were sorted into your house," He glanced up at the ceiling in thought, then shrugged, "Maybe that's just me though. For all I know, everyone else is just hella smart and had shit figured out from the get go."

They walked in silence for a minute before Blaise asked, "Do you have a nickname or something? Sullivan is a mouthful."

"Yeah, my friends call me Sully."

Blaise spun around, holding his hand out for the other, "Then, I'm Blaise. Nice to meet you, Sully."

"I said my friends call me that, idiot. You aren't my friend quite yet, Zabini. You wanna go play a round of gobstones?"

A smile spread along Blaise's mouth, "Yeah. Sounds great."

* * *

Draco's heels slammed against the stone wall as he sipped at the juice in his hands.

"How'd you get this anyway?" he questioned, glancing over at Isobel.

Isobel MacDougel, fifth year Ravenclaw and Draco's mentor, shrugged as she sipped at her apple juice, "My mom posted it to me this morning. It's still fresh, luckily."

"Tastes good," he remarked. They lapsed into silence for a while before he drawled, "What are we supposed to talk about exactly?"

She hummed before saying, "I'm not really sure myself. With my mentor, I talk about the things I need to get off my chest and stuff like that. I think I've cried on her shoulder more than even my best friends."

"I'm not crying," he commented, glancing over at her.

"Please don't. We just met, it's weird if you do," she shot back. As an afterthought she added, "But come to me if you need anything okay? Third year...It can be rough. You're learning about yourself and your friends are learning about themselves and sometimes things clash. If you need anything, I'm here."

Draco nodded, "Will do."

* * *

"So I got the only girl?" questioned Draco, laying across the couch with his feet in Harry's lap. Neville sat on the floor, Blaise spread along his lap in a similar way and his shirt riding up from the way his stomach stretched.

"Apparently," Ron commented, laying in the arm chair with his head and feet thrown over the sides.

Blaise glanced over at him, his cheek cold against the carpet, "You never told us, who'd you get?"

"Roger Davies. He's a Ravenclaw," Ron answered, glancing over at them.

Draco pumped his fists into the air, "Ravenclaw mentors!"

"He's not that cool," Ron shot down.

Neville hummed, his hand resting on Blaise's stomach, "You don't really know him though. You just met."

"My mentor seems pretty cool," Harry commented absently.

"Invalid. You like anyone who's as good at Quidditch as you," Draco shot down, pushing his feet into Harry's thighs gently.

Harry rolled his eyes, "That's not true."

Before anyone could say anything else there was a slam as the door flew open and then shut. Hermione emerged from the doorway a minute later, gripping her bags tightly to her chest.

They took in her appearance, her eyes wide and her hair mussed as though she'd been running her hands through it, before Blaise's eyebrows knitted together and he questioned, "Hon, what's going on? Weren't you with your mentor?"

"Who is your mentor?"Draco followed with.

"F-Fred and George are my mentors," she breathed out.

There was a bang and snap as Ron fell from the chair, shouting out, "What?!"

** A/n:** this chapter took a little longer then normal, sorry about that!

With my starting drivers training though, it will probably stay a little slow.

_Next Time: There's something about a death omen? _


	39. Chapter 38: The Declaration of Happiness

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House **

**Chapter 38: The Declaration of Happiness**

"Hey, we're headed out for Divination, okay?" Ron drawled, grabbing his bag from beside Luna. The blonde girl was sitting criss-cross on the couch, her hair pulled up in a ponytail.

Luna gave him a tiny smile, "Have fun."

"Have fun at Charms when you take off," Blaise said as he came down the stairs. "Tell Astoria and Colin I said hi, yeah?"

"I will," Luna agreed with a nod, then turned around to add, "Hermione, Astoria wants to know if you'll let her do your hair this weekend."

Hermione hummed, shoving books into her bag at the table with Harry standing next to her with his arms crossed, "Maybe this weekend if I don't havetoo much homework from Arithmancy and Ancient Runes."

"What?" Ron whipped around to look at her. "What are you talking about Hermione? Aren't you taking Divination with us?"

"I am," Hermione shot back. She flipped her bag closed, "Come on, Harry."

Harry blinked several times but followed after her anyway, merely shrugging at Ron when the redhead looked at him.

"Draco hurry up," Blaise shouted up the stairs before joining Neville by the door. "I'm not waiting for you! See you in Muggle Studies!"

Neville glanced up at him as they ducked out of the hole, "You're taking Muggle Studies?"

"Yeah, that and Ancient Runes," Blaise answered, his voice fading from Luna's ears. "I wanted to know more about the stuff Hermione talks about and Runes is for Robert. He's strangely happy about it. He keeps trying to get me to go on a dig with him next summer now."

As the portal door closed behind Ron, Draco came down the stairs with his bag slung over his shoulder and his tie messily "Those assholes left me!"

"Yup," Luna stated, popping her p.

"You're the only one who loves me, Luna," Draco sighed, pressing a kiss to her hair before backing out of the room. "See you later, yeah? We're playing gobstones."

"I know. See you."

* * *

"I still can't believe she told him he was going to die!" Hermione exclaimed, her cheeks puffed out and red with anger as she walked down the hallway with Draco and Blaise.

Blaise hummed, "I told you guys not to take Divination."

Draco nodded twice in agreement, "Everyone knows she's crazier than Merlin after the death of King Arthur."

Hermione's mouth barely stopped as she rolled on, "And it's a pointless subject at that!"

"Aren't you also taking Arithmancy? Aren't they essentially the same thing?" Draco mused, looking over at her.

"No!" she snapped. His eyes widened at the outburst and he threw his hands up in a defensive position. After a moment, she sighed, "Sorry. It's just – There's a science to Arithmancy, Divination is just a bunch of crazy people making things up."

"Then why take it?" Blaise put in. "Just get out of the class."

Hermione was silent for a minute, "I don't know. It just feels like giving up on knowledge. That's a waste when I know hardly anything about this world."

"Even when it's crock pot knowledge?" questioned Draco softly.

"Even then," she reaffirmed. There was a shout behind them before either boy could say anything else and they half turned to find Padma and Michael approaching with large grins on their faces.

"Hermione!" The girl squealed. "Want to walk to Ancient Runes together?"

She glanced over at the boys. Draco waved a hand, "Go, have fun. I'll see you in Care of Magical Creatures okay?"

"You mind if I split with them?" questioned Blaise. "I'm headed there too after all."

Draco shook his head, "Go, go. See you later?"

"Yeah, don't forget we're meeting up with Theo!" Blaise called as he ran over to the trio. Draco watched for a moment as they exchanged pleasantries before walking away.

* * *

"I'm not going to get to meet Theo today," Draco groaned, sitting on the hospital bed with Harry sitting next to him. The darker haired boy pressed a cloth against the injury as per the request of Madam Pomfrey.

Harry laughed a little as he ran a thumb over the skin right above the cloth, "No, I don't think you are. I could track him down and ask them to come in here instead though."

"Nah, just stay with me," Draco answered, shaking his head. "Ron will let Blaise know where I am." There was silence for a minute before he said, "I'm happy for Blaise and Neville though, glad they worked their shit out. I wish there was a way for me to tell him that without it being awkward..."

"I don't think you need to say it for him to know," Harry stated. "He can probably tell from the way you act around them. You haven't stopped spending time with them or treated them any differently. Blaise isn't stupid after all."

Draco hummed, "You're probably right." He let his head thump back against the pillows before saying, "You should come up here and take a nap with me."

Harry let out a chuckle, "What's the point of having me up there?" Despite his questioning he crawled up and joined Draco on the bed.

"I just sleep better when you're with me, for some reason," Draco answered, shifting so his face was buried in Harry's side. The other wrapped an arm around his shoulders, holding tightly as they fell asleep.

* * *

In Malfoy manor, Narcissa paced around the living room, "Should we go to Hogwarts? Or will just sending him a letter suffice? Do you think he'll be okay Lucius?"

Lucius answered, lounging on the couch with his legs crossed, "I'm sure he can handle a simple scratch from a Hippogrif."

"How can you say that? You have no idea how bad it is," she scowled.

"He's not a baby, Narcissa," he responded. He brought his thumb up, chewing on the end, "However, this could be an opportunity to get that...oaf Hagrid fired."

Narcissa spun, glaring at him, "Lucius! Your son is hurt and all you're thinking about is your stupid hatred for Dumbledore?"

"Stupid?" he hissed. "Narcissa, The Dark Lord-"

"We made a promise," she hissed back, stepping into his personal space. "We made a promise when he was destroyed to do whatever we had to do in order to keep Draco safe and healthy-"

"By insuring Dumbledore is gone when our Lord returns-"

"Your lord!" Narcissa screeched, throwing her hands up. "I never wanted to be a part of that! You, Snape, Bella went down and you dragged me down with you!" Her face was red with anger as he stared at her from between narrowed eyes. "Severus...Severus brought himself back and he'shappynow. How can you be so unwilling to do the same?"

She took a step back, holding her chin high for what felt like the first time in years, "You may not want to change, but I do. I want to be able to give my son everything he deserves and still be as happy as he is. I don't want to waste the rest of my life serving a man who doesn't know my name or serving the shell of a man I used to love."

Narcissa locked eyes with Lucius and breathed out, "I want a divorce

* * *

**E/n: **

Finally finished this chapter! Sorry it took a while there was some issues with me being busy with drivers trainer and my beta being in a different timezone. PLus i had an issue typing this chapter.

But i hope everyone likes it?

_Next Time: Your Face is Riddikulus. _


	40. Chapter 39: Well Thats a Can of Worms

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 39: Well That's a Whole Can of Worms**

Astoria pushed her hair behind her ears as she sat down with Colin and Luna, the other second years sitting across from her at the library table. She greeted them with a tiny smile, "Hey guys."

Colin's eyes widened right away, "Whoa."

"Are you okay?" Luna followed up with.

Astoria tilted her head, "What are you talking about? I feel just fine."

"Honey," Luna leaned over, cupping her cheek in her hand. She ran her thumb over the under of her eye, "Have you not been sleeping or did someone punch you? Your eyes are all black."

Astoria's eyes crinkled and she reached her own hand up. "Are you serious? I mean – I've been having some trouble sleeping since last summer but Ihaven't noticed anything in the mirror when I get ready in the morning."

"You sure that's all it is?" questioned Colin, running his eyes down her arms in search of any other bruises.

Astoria nodded, "Of course that_'s_ all it is. No one's been bullying me if that's what _you're_ getting at." Her lips twitched a bit as added, "I'm too cool to be bullied by anyone, guys."

Luna hummed as she pulled back, "I don't know about that but you should be getting more sleep. Why don't you guys talk to Snape and McGonagall and clear a sleepover with him? Maybe you'll find it easier to sleep with us there since I assume you're not sleeping because you're worrying about what happened to Colin."

"I'll check," she said after a moment, smiling a bit. "I promise."

* * *

"They just put up the notice for the Hogsmeade visit," Charity declared as she walked into Snape's classroom. The man was sitting at his desk with a pile of essays, something she'd come to expect, so she perched on the nearest table after setting his tea down. Cradling her own cup, she said, "It seems all of the other _Tigerlilies_ are going."

Snape looked up at her, watching for a second, before he sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Considering I don't particularly care about that fact, I'm assuming _you're_ trying to get somewhere with it."

"You know me so well," Charity murmured, her lips twitching just a bit. She looked into her cup for a long moment before saying, "Are you sure we're right in not letting him go?"

"You only say that because you didn't know Sirius Black in school," Snape answered.

Charity ran a hand around the top of her cup, "I don't know, Severus. I know he did horrible things to you and I know that I was only a second year when you were graduating but Sirius never seemed like the kind of person to betray his friends - especially not James. He was fiercely loyal to all of them."

"Yes well," Snape drawled as he pulled his glasses off his face, "I suppose the unpredictability of the betrayal is part of what made people so uneasy about the whole thing."

"And you?" Charity questioned. "_Were_ you surprised?"

Snape chose his words carefully as he answered, "I was surprised Sirius would betray the Potters, yes."

"But?" she requested, hearing the hesitation on the end.

"But I always did think he would snap one day. Sirius Black was a lot of things, but sane and good were never parts of his personality."

* * *

Walking out of Defense Against the Dark Arts, the group was laughing with their heads thrown back and tears streaking their cheeks.

"Oh my god, that _image_ of Snape in Neville's Gran's clothing," laughed Draco, piggy backing on Blaise's back. "Jesus that's just – I wish I could have taken a photo of that to show him!"

"Shut up," Neville cried, burying his red face in his hands. "It's embarrassing enough that I'm still afraid of Snape despite all the help he's given me. If he ever found out about what just happened, I'm pretty sure I'd be flunking his class all over again."

"Well I don't know about that," Hermione declared, placing a comforting hand on his arm. "You've become a lot better with Potions. You're not going to get an outstanding on your OWL's or anything but you could pull at least an Acceptable."

Neville sighed, the mood among the group beginning to level itself out as they calmed down, "That's not going to be good enough. I talked to Anthony about it the other day and he said to work with herbs and growing them for medicine, I'll need to take potions all seven years. That's not good enough to get past-"

"Hey," Blaise shushed, bumping his hip against Neville's while trying not to let Draco tumble off of him, "don' worry about it just yet, okay? OWL's are still two years away, it's a bit ridiculous to worry about them."

"Your face is ridiculous," grumbled Hermione.

"What?" Ron squealed, his neck cracking as he whipped to look at Hermione. "Did Hermione make a joke?! Merlin's beard – it's the end of the world!"

"Shut up," Hermione snapped, smiling even as she pushed Ron.

Harry was laughing as Draco turned to him, his head resting on Blaise's back, "You didn't get to go though, did you Harry?"

"No," Harry answered, shaking his head. "It's fine though. I'm pretty sure I got the gist of the spell."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, yeah," Harry waved his hand dismissively despite the sinking feeling still in his stomach. "It's all okay."

* * *

Fred hummed as he sat on the wall in the courtyard, his feet kicking against the brick below him, watching as George tried to convince Katie Bell to go with him to Hogsmeade.

"Uhm..." turning slightly, he found himself staring at Hermione. The third year clutched her books to her chest, "Could we...can we talk?"

"Sure," Fred said, a large smile on his face. He patted the spot next to him, a gesture for Hermione to sit down before cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting, "George! Get over here!"

Hermione felt her face heating red as she joined Fred on the ledge, not only George turning but half the courtyard as well. The twins seemed to have a conversation, neither moving their lips, before George nodded. He said a quick goodbye to Katie before coming over to them.

"Hey, 'Mione," George greeted, standing in front of her with a large smile, reaching up to ruffle her hair, "Everything okay?"

Hermione glanced over his shoulder, "Not really..."

Fred raised an eyebrow, "Not really, eh?" He glanced down at her books before tapping one with his middle fingers, "Is it about school? You work yourself too hard, you know."

"Kind of," she answered before pausing. This was a thing she definitely liked about having the twins as her mentors – they never pressured her to talk. They always waited until she knew exactly what she wanted to say and how she wanted to put it. "I'm having trouble with Divination. I know I should take it to expand my knowledge and I_want_to know about it but it's so hard not to just think of it as a waste of time! It's all nonsense and guessing."

George hummed, "So just don't take it Hermione."

"Wha-?" her eyes snapped up, looking into his. "But-"

"'Mione," Fred interrupted on her other side, placing a hand on her knee. "When you were in primary school did you like all the classes?"

She shook her head, "No. I was never fond of art because-"

"And would you have stopped taking that class if you could?"

"Yes because I wasn't learning anything useful to me but-"

"It's the same thing," George declared, nodding. "Divination is just like art. You can go your whole life without ever needing to predict the future, trust me I've made it fifteen years, so just_don't take it."_

Fred said, "Besides that, the whole point of electives is to expand your knowledge of things you like, of things you may want to do in the future."

"But-"

"'Mione, stop fighting us on this," they said together.

"We're not telling you to drop out right this second," George clarified. "Just know you can if you want, okay?"

Hermione bit her lip before nodding, "Fine."

"Good, now why don't you tell us what's been going on outside of class," Fred drawled. "Any romance for you?"

Her face turned bright red as she set about denying the accusation and then telling them about the past few days. Even though she was embarrassed,_there_ was something safe and _worry-free_ about being with the twins.

Like they weren't going to judge her for anything she may say or do.

* * *

**E/n: **Heyo! How is everyone today? Good? A little better now that you have this chapter I hope?

So sorry this took so long xD I've been working a bit on some OT6 for Roosterteeth and some others things and stuff and things. But look! I updated and it's only been like a week?!

Your first real mention, mention of Sirius and a little mentor stuff in here too :3

Seven more reviews until 500 so maybe you guys could push us over that mark with this chapter? :3

So yeah review with the usual - what you liked and disliked about this chapter and what you want to see.

_Next Time: There's a date at Hogsmeade, a meeting with a sleeping bags, and maybe a meeting between two grown adults who in no way hold grudges. Yeah, cause thats a thing. _


	41. Chapter 40: Sleepovers are Dumb

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 40**: Sleepovers Are Dumb

Blaise pursed his lips as he sat across from Sullivan, the two of them skipping a rubber ball between themselves in an empty hallway.

"Now I'm going to assume," the fifth year drawled, "that you called me out here for a reason other than just to play with a bouncy ball. Given I don't particularly mind if there isn't anything, it's not like I had anything to do today, but you've got this kind of worry about you that says there's something going on."

"How do you..." he stopped, clutching the ball in his hand as it came back to him. "Fuck, this is embarrassing."

"Just breathe," Sullivan said, leaning back on the palms of his hand. "Breathe and rush the words out if you have too."

Blaise rolled his eyes, "I can get them out without having to talk a mile a minute, Sully."

"If you say so."

Blaise ran his tongue across his lip, "I was just wondering how...How do you ask someone on a date?"

Sullivan's eyebrows shot up, "I'm not going to question your decisions or anything but aren't you dating someone already?"

Blaise was confused for a moment before it occurred to him what was being said. "No! I'm not – Merlin, Sully! I just can't figure out how to tell Neville that I want our trip to Hogsmeade to be a date despite how excited he is to be going with everyone."

"Ah," he pursed his lips and looked towards the ceiling. "I haven't had the pleasure to meet Neville yet, but I don't think he would mind at all if you asked him on a date."

Blaise ran his tongue across his lip nervously, relaxing enough to bring himself to bounce the ball back at his mentor, "You think?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about it, okay? You just have to take a few deep breaths and get it out there. Just the fact that you're dating means he's not adverse to going places with you."

* * *

Harry was lying across the common room floor, his eyes closed as he tried to get rid of the ache in his body that the first Quidditch practice always gave him, when he felt a body plop next to him. Peeking one eye open, he found Luna sitting next to him with her hands folded in her lap and her lips pursed together.

After a moment, he greeted her with a slow, drawn out, "Hi Luna."

"Hello, Harry!" she responded, not moving an inch.

When she still didn't do anything he added, "Is there something you needed?"

She bit her lip for a minute before saying, "I know it's a bit of a sore subject but McGonagall said she needed for one of you guys to be around in order for Colin to be allowed to come ."

"Luna, what are you talking about?"

"Colin and Astoria are coming to spend the night this weekend but we need you to watch us since McGonagall doesn't want him to be the only boy," Luna confessed. "I know you were a bit upset about not being able to go to Hogsmeade so I wasn't sure if you would want to talk about it."

"Luna," he drawled with a tiny smile as he made sense of her words, "are you asking me to babysit you and your friends?"

Her cheeks flushed bright pink before she puffed them out with air and grumbled, "Yes."

"Cute," Harry commented, reaching up to ruffle her hair. "I'm pretty sure you guys aren't going to get into any trouble anyway, so I don't have an issue with doing it."

* * *

Blaise took a deep breath before spinning his body around the doorway, strolling into the greenhouse with his head held high.

Neville didn't notice him right away, having been patting his hands over some dirt in a pot but when he did a smile spread across his face that made Blaise's heart quicken.

"Blaise!" Neville greeted, his spade hitting the counter with a tiny thunk. He made a motion with his hands down to the overalls and tee-shirt he was wearing, "I'd give you a hug but I'm covered in dirt and mud. I was helping Professor Sprout plant some things earlier."

"It's fine," Blaise answered, a tiny smile on his face as he waved it off. "I haven't made it up to the common room to change out of my school robes anyway, so it's probably not best to get them all dirty."

Neville laughed a bit, "Probably not, no." He ran the back of his hands over his forehead, pushing his bangs up. "Sorry to rush you but did you need something? Professor Sprout only agreed to let me work on this on the condition that I kept my grades up in my other classes and I need to finish my Charms essay."

"I wanted to know if-" he paused, worry filling him again. Remembering Sullivan's instructions, he took a deep breath before starting again, "I wanted to know if you were okay if instead of going with the others to Hogsmeade we went...you know...together?"

Neville tilted his head, "Weren't we already going together?"

"No I mean-" he let out a frustrated sigh, running his hands through his hair. He took another breath before finishing, "I mean on a date."

Neville blinked for several moments, processing the words, before he nodded, "Yes! I'm completely okay with that! I wanted to ask you myself but I couldn't figure out how to."

Blaise felt his cheeks heating up as he noticed the way Neville's eyes shone with happiness and his smile spread wide enough to show off just a bit of his teeth. "Right um...I'll see you later then?"

"Yup. See you then."

Blaise took a step towards the door, stopping almost right away. He bounced between his feet for a minute before turning back the way he came. Quickly, he put a hand on Neville's face, the other teen turning his head to see what was going on, before pressing their lips together quickly.

When he pulled away they were both bright red.

"I'll just um..." Blaise nodded as he jabbing a finger towards the door, walking backwards towards it as Neville's fingertips brushed over his own lips.

He made it all the way to the door before he heard Neville mumble to himself, "...Nice. That was nice."

* * *

"You guys going to be okay by yourselves?" Harry questioned as he jumped off the last step of the stairs, looking at the trio of second years on the common room floor. He and Luna had shoved the furniture out of the way before Astoria and Collin's arrival and now they were sprawled across the floor, each lying on a separate blanket. "Professor Lupin invited me for tea, so I'm going to go and I trust you guys will go find the teachers or go to the Hospital wing if something happens?"

Luna grinned from her spot, "Yup!"

"Okay, have fun then. I'm just going to wander around until the others get back and walk back here with them so I'll see you then." He waved a bit at Astoria and Colin before walking out of the room.

Astoria sighed, flopping back on her blankets, "I'm so jealous of you, Luna."

"Eh?" Luna tilted her head, looking at Astoria.

"All of your housemates are so pretty!"

* * *

"Well, this was a fun day," Blaise drawled, his breath fogging up the air in front of him as they walked. Somewhere between Honeydukes and Dominic Maestro's, Neville had taken Blaise's hand into his own and they hadn't really let go since.

"I thought so too," Neville hummed, his shoulder bumping Blaise's. They walked in silence for a while, breath steady and a sense of serenity between them, before he added, "You know, about the other day..."

"Mhm?" Blaise looked over at him with a raised eyebrow.

Neville pursed his lips before saying, "About when you kissed me?"

"Yeah?" Blaise murmured, avoiding Neville's eyes as he felt his gut sinking. "What about it?"

"I mean," Neville drawled, shifting his eyes away as well, "I wouldn't mind if you did it again, you know."

Blaise looked up at him, "You sure?"

"Yeah," Neville answered, running his tongue across his lip nervously. "If you...If you wanna kiss me again, that is?" He let go of Neville's hand, twisting in front of him in order to press their lips together again in response.

Blaise smiled afterwards, "I definitely want to do that again."

* * *

Luna leaped off the couch, hitting Colin's stomach with a groan from the boy and a giggle from Astoria. The pile of chocolate frogs and other candy wrappers from their night surrounded Astoria.

"Holy Merlin on a chocolate stick," Colin moaned, gripping his stomach as Luna roll off him. "Oh Merlin, why did I agree to that?"

"Because you're a bloody idiot," Astoria laughed.

Luna gave a giggle of her own as she stretched out on the floor next to Colin, "I'm regretting it myself. Merlin, Colin your stomach is a bit hard."

"I can't believe you guys actually did it!" Astoria exclaimed as she unwrapped another chocolate frog.

Colin sighed, still gripping his stomach as he pressed his face into the blanket, "I regret ever doing as you say."

"'Tori, wasn't the whole point of this sleepover for you to actually be able to go to sleep?" questioned Luna.

Astoria crossed her arms and opened her mouth to say something – only for a scream to escape as there was a large bang on the door. She glanced around rapidly, "Luna...What was that?"

"Sh," Luna shushed, glancing around herself. It was quiet for a minute before there was another loud bang and the sound of something scratching. Astoria let out another scream as she ran towards Luna. The two girls were braced against the couch, Astoria gripping Luna's arm.

Colin glanced back at them, "Isn't it just your housemates messing around with you?"

Despite his words, when the there was more noise from the door – the thing beginning to shake on its hinges – he jumped back to join the other two.

"We should call someone," he whispered, wrapping an arm around so he was touching both of them.

Astoria shook her head, her fingernails digging into Luna's skin, "We'd have to go outside to do that. Merlin only knows what's out there. You guys can't do this to me again."

They settled into an uncomfortable silence, gripping each other tighter and growing more afraid as the door rattled and banged.

"What is that?" Colin murmured as a growl came from under the doorway.

Luna moved her hands, gripping their thighs tightly, as she answered, "I'm not sure I want to find out."

* * *

**E/n: **Hey guys! How is everyone?

So first off about this chapter: our darling beta HPandWforever deserves a massive applause because there were some inconsistances we had to work out which leads to

second off: I just want to mention since there's been some questioning that I write a lot more lax Hogwarts. It allows students to stay out later or go to another houses common room (as demonstrated in the Beville date scene and Sleepover scene).

I think that's all i needed to address right now? Some cool house-information reveling things next chapter!

_Next Time: There's another sleepover (but a bit grimmer), a Quidditch match in the rain, and Charity is fearful and displeased for entirely different reasons. _


	42. Chapter 41: Eat a Hand, Eat an Eyeball

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House****Chapter **

**41: Eat a Hand, Eat an Eyeball, Confuse a Headmaster**

"We weren't sure what you would like best," Hermione said as they walked up the stairs. Harry was searching through the bag of things they had bought him, Ron and Draco trailing behind them with their own bags in hand. "So we all chipped in and bought a little bit from both Honeydukes and Zonko's."

Harry smiled a bit, "Thanks. You guys didn't have to though, you know?"

"We know," Draco drawled, his hands over his head, "but we wanted too. It didn't seem fair that you had to stay here while the rest of us went to have fun."

They walked the rest of the way to the common room with laughter and stories about their days.

"Hermione ditched us for Michael and Padma half way through and when she came back she-" Ron's story was interrupted by Blaise's voice.

"Thank fuck!" the boy let out, standing up so they could see him as they approached the door – noticing long scratches running down the door. They took in the scene, bags dropped on the platform and Neville sitting on the ground with his back against the wall. His head was buried in his knees and the sound of his rushed breathing made Hermione run the rest of the way up the stairs.

Staying squatted down next to the boy, as Hermione sat on his other side and tried to coach him into small easy breaths, Blaise said, "The butterfly is gone but the door isn't unlocked and there are these fucking scratches on it. We can't get in and we have no way of finding out if Luna is stuck in there because of the silence spell, even if they heard us knocking we wouldn't know because we can't hear them. Then Neville started having a panic attack but we couldn't exactly leave for the hospital wing without knowing where Luna was and I couldn't leave him here alone to go find a teacher because what if did that comes back?"

"I'll go find Madam Pomfrey and Charity," Draco declared, thrusting his bags into Harry's hands before running down the stairs.

Harry watched the scars for a moment, something stirring in his stomach, before murmuring, Ron, "Get your wand out and watch the left side. We need to be ready in case it comes back."

* * *

Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk, shifting through the paper work being headmaster of Hogwarts came with, when he heard a soft voice draw, "A dog attacked."

His head snapped up at the unfamiliar voice. He glanced around before noticing a portrait he had never seen full before.

In the fifth portrait along the wall with the founders portraits, the other four empty as they usually were, stood a woman. Her hair was brown like chocolate and her eyes a gem green. The orange flowers braiding her hair stuck out against the black of the canvas.

"Ms. Tigerlily," he declared upon composing himself. In his years as headmaster, he had had council with all four of the other founders, learning what little he could from the information the subjects had woven into the portraits, but Lilith Tigerlily had remained in whatever other portrait she may have had. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last."

She stared at him for a long time, something in her eyes was unnerving even to him, before stating, "The butterfly, it's upset. A dog attacked so it ran instead of fulfillingit's duties. It didn't realize that dog was looking for something else, for the rat sitting inside."

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Dumbledore declared after a moment.

Lilith sighed, "I always was afraid no one would understand but there are too many secrets. Too many things a Tigerlily has to learn themselves to be as great as they can be and too many spells will be invented to pry information from portraits.

"Miss, I can't make sense of what you're saying. Did Sirius Black do something to the Tigerlilies?"

She watched him with that gaze of hers for a long moment before saying, "But of course, the dragon never sees the whole picture. Never sees what happens to the dog or the butterfly because he only cares for the thoughts in his head and how to destroy his own demons." Without another word, she walked back out of her portrait.

Before he could make a move for any kind of call to bring her back, the doors were slammed open and Minerva rushed out with a red face, "Something attacked the Tigerlily common room. The butterfly on their door is gone and Luna Lovegood, Colin Creevy, and Astoria Greengrass are trapped inside."

* * *

"Kids," Charity exclaimed as she pushed through the rest of the teachers to reach her students. When she reached the top, she rushed out, "Are all of you okay?"

"We are," Harry declared. He glanced down were Madam Pomfey sat with Neville, the boy resting on one of the stairs with his back against Blaise's knees as she checked his vitals. "Neville's breathing right again – he had a bit of a panic attack. We still can't get in to Luna though."

"We'll have to find another way in," Severus drawled as he joined the group at the top of the stairs. "There are ways for a teacher to get past the defences of the other houses common rooms in the case of this kind of emergency. We simply need to figure out how to get past the Tigerlily's."

As if on cue, a flutter of wings filled the corridor. They watched as a golden butterfly flew through the other doors around them, attaching itself for never more than a second, before reaching the Tigerlily common room door.

It fluttered in front of the scratches for a moment before settling in, going still and solid on the wood. There was a pause before Ron, standing closest to the door, said, "Should I...?"

Charity exchanged a look with Snape before nodding, "Go ahead, Ronald."

He swallowed hard as he let the Latin words come out of his mouth, "_Uti proprium clara futura." _

There was a moment before the newly settled butterfly let a golden dust fall from itself before the click of a lock. The house flew towards the door, swinging it open, and were immediately attacked by the three second years latching on to whoever was closest.

"Oh thank god you're all safe," Hermione breathed out, her arms full of Astoria. She hugged the Slytherin tightly before inquiring about any injuries to any of the trio.

Behind them, no one noticed the various teachers in the hallway exchanging looks of worry.

* * *

The Great Hall buzzed with noise as houses flowed in, seventh years passed out sleeping bags as the only two teachers – Professor Lupin and Charity – that had not gone looking for Sirius Black stood in the doorway checking off the students as they came in.

"Harry! Ron!" The duo in question turned away from their conversation to see Seamus pushing through a crowd of people to reach them, pulling Dean with him as the other tried to apologize to everyone Seamus mowed down. When Seamus reached them he skidded to an awkward stop, Dean almost bumped into him when they stopped. He lifted the sleeping bag in his hand, "Do you mind if Dean and I sleep over here with you guys?"

"Us too," a soft voice added. Looking up, they found that Hannah and Susan stood on the other side of the Tigerlily group with their own sleeping bags in hand. Hannah had a hand gripping Susan's arm as she asked Neville, "You're okay with that, right?"

"Yes! Of course!" Neville declared, scrambling up from where he was half seated in Blaise's lap – his boyfriend having refused to let him out of his sight since his earlier panic attack. He gave both of the girls a firm hug before helping them situate themselves in the space around them.

"Why are you guys coming over here? Shouldn't you sleep with your houses?" questioned Ron, helping clear space by him and Harry for Seamus and Dean despite his questioning words.

"We're worried about you idiots, obviously," Theo's voice cut in. He didn't bother asking as he flopped down into Draco and Blaise's laps, the boys grunting as his feet dug into Draco's legs and his back bonked against Blaise's knees. "Sirius Black attacked your common room and that means that Sirius Black attacked you guys."

"It's a scary thought that he could have gotten in and you guys could have gotten in," Padma agreed as she and Michael arrived. She smiled at Luna, where the girl sat criss cross with Astoria and Colin's heads on either leg, as she added, "We're glad no one did though."

There was a long beat of silence, everyone sitting and thinking about what could have happened, before Seamus clapped his hands and drew a packet of cards from his backpack, "Enough being downers, who wants to play a round of Exploding Snap?"

"We could make it a tournament?" Michael put forward, looking around the group.

"Oh!" Hannah exclaimed, digging into her own bag before producing a large bag. "I bought a bag of body part shaped suckers from Honeydukes today but I'm not super attached to them. We could use them as a prize?"

"Let's do it," Blaise agreed, he shifted into the center of the ring they had formed and took the cards from Seamus's hands. "Fastest time wins?"

"Bring it," Seamus agreed, cracking his knuckles as Blaise laid the cards out in front of him.

* * *

**E/n: **

Hello again darlings! I actually (for once) do not have a lot to say about this chapter so just leave the usual stuff, yeah?

Reviews and suggestions for scenes, characters, pairings, or things in general you'd like to see more of and it may or may not happen!

_Next time: Harry's in the hospital again and his mentor feels horrible, Charity is not so charitable when Snape upsets her, and Draco expresses something to Isobel. _


	43. Chapter 42: Mentors with Bad Feeling and

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 42: Mentors With Bad Feelings and Bad Advice**

"Fuck," Cedric muttered, sinking into the chair next to Harry's bed. He pushed a hand through his hair as he watched the steady rise and fall of the younger's chest. "I am such a shitty fucking mentor. 'M sorry, Harry. I should have...Should have caught you or something."

"Hey now," the voice was softer than Cedric was used to hearing, so it took him a moment before realizing the hands touching his shoulders were Anthony's. He glanced to his side to find Anthony standing next to him, in his jeans but with his shirt and tie still on. "This is not your fault. This is the dementors."

"You didn't have to come down," Cedric murmured, avoiding the previous statement. "You were changing for your date with that Ravenclaw girl, weren't you?"

"Yeah," Anthony drawled, nodding, "but then I heard my best friend was in the hospital wing because his protégée fell off his broomstick during aQuidditch game and I knew you would be in here beating yourself up about it. I talked to Neville a bit before coming in so I could make sure he was okay, too."

They were silent for a minute before Anthony added, "It's scary how used to Harry being in here they are. I can't imagine spending that much time worrying over something like this when we were their age, instead of running around being annoying twerps."

"I wanted to protect him," Cedric choked out, feeling his throat burn and his eyes prickle. "At first, I just found it strange how often I saw them around here when I was getting band-aids for cuts or stuff I got from Quidditch but then- Then I actually talked to him and I realized how cool of a kid he was and I just wanted to protect him from all this shit. I couldn't even do that on a Quidditch field, how am I supposed to-"

"You aren't," Anthony growled. His fingers dug into Cedric's shoulders unconsciously, "I know what you're thinking and I swear to god, Cedric Diggory, if you ever try to stand up to he-who-should-not-be-named because you want to protect Harry I willhurt 's okay to want to stand up to him and it's okay to care for Harry, but you can't take him on by yourself."

Cedric sighed, "I know. I know. He's dead anyway so it's not-"

"Right," Anthony repeated. His ran a hand through his hair, sighing himself. "Right. Okay. Why don't we – Why don't I go let the others in? Harry's housemates are waiting outside to come in and sit with him as long as Madam Pomfrey will let them so we can all wait together."

He nodded, "Yes. Yeah okay."

* * *

Snape's door slammed open.

He looked up to find Charity glaring at him. Before he could open to his mouth, she hissed, "How dare you do that to him."

"Charity what are you-?"

Her hands slammed against the table, her hair flying up. "I heard about your lesson with the kids. That was not your decision to make, Severus. Remus has done nothing but try and make up to you whatever grudge it is you're holding against him and trying to... to out him to his students is a low move, even for you."

"I wasnt-"

"I'm not an idiot!" Charity exclaimed, seemingly unperturbed by his words. "There was clearly a reason why you chose to teach them about werewolves instead of what they're actually learning about and it's horrible!"

"Charity would you listen to me for-"

"No!" The tone and volume of the single syllable had Snape's mouth snapping shut. "I'm so sick of this, Severus! Remus is important to Harry, would be so, so important to him if Lily and James were still alive, and I don't pretend to know or excuse whatever happened between you guys in school but you're grown men now. You are raising a child who he cares about and who cares about him, and you are going to have to at least be civil with him and not try and out him every Christmas and summer break."

He floundered for a minute before focusing in on one part of her sentence and repeating, "Christmas and Summer break?"

"Oh." She had, at least, the decency to look sheepish as she answered, "I was thinking it wouldn't hurt to invite him over for Christmas dinner and maybe a few times in the summer. He's a part of Harry's family too. I mean – his biological parents would have wanted him around Harry and I want to respect Lily and James in that aspect. He's been teaching Harry a lot of good things."

"No," Snape shot down, shaking his head. "I do not want Remus Lupin in my house."

She opened her mouth to say something only to pause. Something like hurt flashed across her face and, just as he was about to say that she didn't understand the things James Potter and his friends had put him through and therefore didn't understand why he didn't want their fellow professor in his house, she murmured, "Your house?"

"What?"

"You called it...your house," she stated slowly. "I thought...I thought it wasoursnow, Severus. You made me think-" She shook her head, "Nevermind. I guess it wouldn't be..."

"Charity what are you talking about? Of course it's our house," Snape sighed.

"But you said 'I do not want Remus Lupin inside my house,'" Charity repeated. She took a deep breath, "Which means every time I want to do something You don't like you're going to revert back to that, aren't you? That it's your house and you're just...just letting me stay there."

Overhead a bell rung.

"I'm- I'm going to my class," she excused, nodding slightly.

Severus let out a heavy sigh, collapsing backwards in his chair, "I messed up, didn't I?"

* * *

Draco sat perched on a wall next to Isobel.

In their hands they held chocolate bars, another present to the girl from her parents which had become tradition for them to eat together, as they watched the sun set.

"Is your friend feeling better now?" Isobel questioned, looking at him.

"He's okay. Woke up for a bit before going back to sleep," Draco answered. "He should be back in class tomorrow or the day after."

Isobel hummed, kicking her legs against the wall, "I'm glad. You seemed so worried about him, that I was a bit worried about you."

"You don't have to be."

"Of course I have to be," she answered, bumping her shoulder against his. "I'm your mentor and the fact that you called me out here today instead of waiting until our weekly meeting on Thursday means something is clearly on your mind."

He hummed, not saying anything for a long moment. After a moment of careful thought he began with, "I think I have a crush."

"Oh?" She quirked an eyebrow. "Who is it?"

"It's not-" He let out a groan then tried again. "I don't want to tell you that because that's not my issue."

She looked as though she wanted to argue, but ultimately decided not to. Instead saying, "Okay. You don't have to, then. What is it that's bothering you then? Crushes are normal, you know."

Draco thought about how to word it before saying, "This person is really close to me and I'm not even – I'm not even sure he swings my way."

Isobel paused for a minute before dropping her mouth in an o, "Ah, I understand now." She tapped her finger against her lip before saying, "Well, how do you feel exactly? Is this someone you're content with just being around? Someone who you can be around as friends while you figure stuff out? Because rushing this could be a big mistake. I can sympathize with the pureblood aspect of it, my father is constantly worrying about making sure we're friend with the right people and families and I know yours is the same so maybe just...Think about it for a bit before you try and rush into anything. Make sure you're not outing yourself to your father for someone who doesn't care about you."

He sighed as he flopped back, his back bending uncomfortably as he locked his legs so he wouldn't fall off, "I know, but I like him so much Isobel and I want him to like me too."

She patted his thigh, "I want him to like you too. First crushes are the worst. Especially when they can ruin friendships."

"They can ruin friendships?" he questioned, looking over at her as she flipped back with him, managing to lay her back flat against the wall unlike him.

She hummed, "Yeah. I know a lot of people who had crushes on their friends and when they told them, they never talked again."

Something akin to fear settled in Draco's gut as he muttered, "Is that so..."

* * *

**E/n:** Yo ho guys! I hope you've all had a good couple of days, and if not I hope I could make it a little bit better with this chapter even if there's not much story content and its really just filler!

So as a reminder - considering we've begun the build up for yet another one of its pairings: this is a DRARRY, BEVILLE, ROMIONE, and LUNA/ASTORIA/COLIN story with plenty of other side pairings as well! It's worth mentioning perhaps that Wolfstar is _likely _going to be a thing however, i promise you Tonks will still be in the later chapters! Just as part of Draco's story line instead of Harry's. Also: as of right now the plan is to switch to a new story after this book (so not for a few chapters still). It will PROBABLY be titled something like "Harry Potter and the Fifth House: The Rise of Voldemort" or something but I'll be sure to make sure you guys know when we're ready and up! That's why I appreciate any of you who bother to read the end notes - It makes getting information too you easy!

Per usual -thanks for the reviews and favorites for the last chapter, welcome to the new readers, and I hope you'll leave the usual feedback (What you thought of the chapter, who you want to see more of and such).

_Next Time: The second visit arrives, Christmas Shopping happens, Snape tries to fix things, and Harry learns the truth. _


	44. Chapter 43: Swallowing Pride and -

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 43: Swallowing Pride and Swallowing Tears**

* * *

"Good morning," Blaise drawled as he flopped down at the breakfast table.

The others gave him various nods and grunts, food stuffed in their faces as they ate, with the exception of Hermione, who informed them, "Our next Hogsmeade visit is today. You didn't forget did you?"

"I did," he answered honestly, a tiny grin on his face. He glanced over at Draco, who had taken the seat next to him, and said, "This is explains what Theo was talking about yesterday. You okay with hanging out with him today?"

Draco nodded, swallowing hard so he could talk, "I'm fine with that."

"Sweet," Blaise agreed, nodding.

Neville smiled as he turned to Hermione and Ron, "Are you two okay if I tag along with you guys?"

"Oh." Hermione bit her lip. "I'm actually not going to be with Ron. I've been invited to go with Padma and Michael this time, so I was going to do that."

Ron shrugged as he leaned over, grabbing a strip of bacon from Luna's plate despite the blondes protests, before saying, "It's not a big deal. 'Mione, you don't have to stay with us all the time. We'll find something to do by ourselves."

"Hopefully without burning the town down," Blaise put in.

"Oi!" Ron shouted, his cheeks puffing out bright red. "Shut your trap, Zabini."

As the two boys engaged in a friendly argument, Hermione turned to Harry. She placed a soft hand on his knee, "Are you okay with this? I don't mind staying."

"It's fine," Harry answered. "I still don't understand why mom and dad wouldn't sign my premisson slip but I'll just hang around here with Luna, I guess."

There was a moment before Hermione broke into a smile, "Oh Harry...You called them mom and dad."

He felt his cheeks heat up a bit as he turned back down to his food, "Yeah well, that's what they are isn't it?"

"Of course," Hermione agreed, "but that doesn't mean it's any less of a step for you to be calling them that."

* * *

Luna watched Harry carefully, the older boy fidgeting next to her even as he explained what he remembered about the herb she was supposed to be writing her report on. After a moment, she said, "You don't have to help me if there's something else you have to do."

"Huh?" Harry blinked several times. He looked as his he wanted to protest for a minute before running a hand through his hair, "Sorry, Luna. I just wanted to go explore something that I learned about earlier."

She regarded him carefully, he didn't seem to be lying but he didn't appear to be telling the truth either. After a moment, she slid her books away from him and shut it tightly, "Go ahead and go then. I'll go see if I can't find Astoria – she's quite good with her potions after all."

"Are you sure?" Harry questioned, even though she was already shoving her books into her bag and he had already stood up. "I did promise to help you."

"It's fine. You're not being much help anyway."

Luna said a quick goodbye before leaving, noticing the way he practically ran to the stairs in search of something before she had even closed the door.

* * *

Padma stepped in front of Michael and Hermione, throwing her arms out as the snow fell and twirling in a circle. She laughed, "God, I love winter."

Hermione smiled as she followed, "It's pretty, isn't it?"

"Pretty maybe," huffed Michael, "but it kills a lot of potion ingredients and it's cold as hell."

"Don't be such a downer," Padma replied, rolling her eyes as she twirled again.

Hermione bumped against Michael lightly, "We could stop at a store for you to buy some of the things you need to restock on. I need some things for class anyway."

"While you guys do that, I'll hop over to the book store then. I've got the perfect thing in mind for your Christmas present, Hermione. You're going to love it!" Padma exclaimed, smiling as she stopped in front of them.

Hermione blinked, "You don't have to give me anything."

"I don't have to no," Padma agreed, nodding, "but you were planning on getting me something, weren't you?" She flushed pink, adding to the already rosy colour on her cheeks from the cold, before nodding. "So obviously I'm going to get you a present. Plus, we're friends 'Mione. I want to give you something."

Hermione bit her lip before nodding, "Okay. That's fine I guess."

"'Kay, so let's just split up here," Michael declared as they came to the small village square. "Padma can go get her present for you and we can get our stuff for her and the potions stuff we need, then we'll meet up and Padma and you can get my presents and I'll get yours."

"Afterward we can meet up and have lunch before going shopping for some other gifts, okay?" Padma suggested.

Hermione nodded, "Okay then. See you in a bit?"

"Of course!" Padma sung. She leaned in, pressing a kiss to both of their cheeks before leaving.

They watched her for a minute before Hermione let out a soft giggle, "She's always so energetic, isn't she?"

"It's a bit irritating," Michael agreed.

* * *

Snape sighed as he stood in front of the other Professor's door.

His hands were clenched into fists, it was hard to swallow his pride like this, but he needed to make things better with Charity (he felt like a bastard for the whole thing anyway because it wastheirhouse and her choices had never led him astray before).

Steeling his nerve, he raised his hand and knocked on the door in front of him three times.

There was a brief pause before the door swung open. The occupant blinked several times before saying, "Hello Severus. I wasn't expecting to see you today, is something wrong?"

"No," he replied with a shake of his head. He paused for a minute before saying, "I actually came down to ask if... if you wanted to come spend Christmas at the manor with Charity, Harry, and I."

Remus' eyes widened before he asked, "Are you sure? I know you don't like me and I'd hate to impose on your holidays."

"I-" Snape thought of Charity's words before sighing, running a hand through his hair, and starting over. "I'm a grown man, now. While I still hold some...contempt for your actions during our school days, Charity and I both think it would be good for you to be in Harry's life. He's...He's our son, but we'd like to respect the fact that Lily and James would have wanted you in his life."

"Severus," Remus spoke after a minute, "are you sure about this? I really don't want-"

"Just come, Remus," Severus declared after a minute. "It'll make Harry happy, he's respects you a lot."

They stared at each other for a long moment before Remus nodded, "Okay. I'll be there then."

* * *

The boys dormitory door slammed behind Harry as he launched into the room.

He could feel hot tears streaming down his face as he clutched the cloak around him, sinking to the floor without throwing it off.

Understanding of why everyone thought Sirius Black would want him, why Severus and Charity hadn't signed his permission slip flooded through and he hated it.

Hated that the man who had gotten his parents killed had been a friend of theirs. Hated that the man was still running his life.

Hated that he was reacting just as everyone had expected him too, with anger and a want for revenge.

* * *

**E/n: **Hi-Ho everyone! How is everyone this week?

So we will indeed be breaking stories after this book. That's not for a few more chapters but I wanted you all to be prepared for when it did happen. I'll make sure to put in an extra note-only chapter when it does happen though.

Moving on though I hope that, if your week was bad, Padma and Snape were able to soothe your soul just a tad. Because WOW, she is so happy! And it's great that he's so in love with this family he's got instead of being bitter over Lily!

Is there anyone else you guys would like to see soon? Hopefully, I'll be able to get Ron and Luna in a chapter or two. What about (shifty eyes, whisper voice) Seamus and Dean?

_Next Chapter: Christmas Dates, Christmas Dinner, and Draco learns about chapter thirty-nine_


	45. Chapter 44: Man, These Guys Need a Hug

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 44**:** Man, these guys need a Hug**

Ron was sat on the floor of the common room with his books when Harry came down the stairs.

"Hey," Ron greeted, his quill scratching against parchment, "it's just you and me today. I need to get my essay for potions done."

Harry didn't say anything as he sat down in one the chairs. He crossed his arms and legs in the chair, just watching the redhead for a while. They were quiet for a long time before Ron looked up at him. His smile dropped when he took in Harry's bloodshot eyes.

They stared at each other for a moment before Ron asked, "Okay, mate?"

"Not so much," Harry answered honestly. Uncrossing his legs, he drew his legs up to his chest and rested his chin on his knees. "I'll deal with it, though. Where are the others?"

"Neville went with Hannah to help Professor Sprout with something and Luna's with 'Tori and Colin. Everyone else was already gone when I got up, though." Ron drummed his fingers against the table as he added, "You sure you got whatever it is?"

Harry hummed, shrugging his shoulders, "Not right now, but I'll take care of it myself."

"Harry..." Ron's voice was low, warning.

"I know I don't have to deal with everything myself," he replied. "I couldn't have lived through the Chamber of Secrets or first year without you guys, but this is different than that. I have to do this myself."

Ron ran a hand through his hair before nodding, "Okay, but if you need help-"

"You're here. I know." They exchanged small smiles before Harry gestured towards the Wizard's Chess board. "You want to play a round before the others get back? Hermione will make us start packing for break when she does."

"Sure." Ron shoved his things aside, shoving the parchment into a bag before joining him at the table. "One last game before break."

* * *

Blaise stretched out as he stepped into the train station, dropping his trunk he twisted to both sides and cracked his back. Hermione's nose twitched at the sound. With a sigh he placed his hand over his eyes, scanning the area for his parents before turning to the group, "Okay so, gifts before they get here?"

Draco nodded, glancing around the station as they moved their stuff towards an empty corner. They sat in a tight circle, pulling gifts out of their trunks before sitting back down on them. Gifts were passed out swiftly, wrapping paper crinkling as it passed hands to the owner.

"Next time, let's just do this in the common room," Luna said, blowing up to get some of her hair out of her face. "Harry, this is yours."

When all the gifts had been passed around, each one of them balancing a stack of them, they exchanged looks before tearing into them.

Each of them found a variety of things contributing to their interests that made them smile. Hugs were exchanged between the group as they thanked each other, and Ron stripped off his tee-shirt in favor of the Chudley Cannon's jersey Draco had gotten him.

They were shoving things into their trunks, Hermione keeping the book of Runes Blaise had gotten her out and Luna examining the jewelry making kit with vibrating and floating beads given to her from Hermione, when they heard someone shout, "Blaise!" Robert and Blaise's mother were standing a bit away, no doubt wanting to give the kids privacy to say goodbye. His stepfather's arm was slung around her shoulders as she waved at Blaise.

Blaise gave Draco's shoulder a light punch as he passed, "See you guys in a couple of weeks. Merry Christmas." He dropped a kiss on Neville's forehead, "Come on. You're getting a ride with me right?"

"Mhm yeah." Neville waved at the others before lacing his fingers with Blaise's, allowing himself to be pulled away.

* * *

Draco hummed as he stepped outside, the sunlight blinding him momentarily before he heard someone shout his name. He glanced over to find Tonks standing by a muggle car, waving her hands about her head with a bright smile on her face.

"Hi," he greeted as he stepped towards her with a smile. "You look nice." He said, gesturing to her long, black hair.

"Thanks," Tonks agreed, reaching across to ruffle his hair. "I figured pink was overdoing it when I was out and about near muggles. Even wizards are thrown off by the pink hair sometimes."

"What a grown up," Draco teased.

Tonks winkled her nose, "Let's not start that, Dray. In the car."

Draco nodded, fumbling with the handle for a minute before managing to climb in. He thought about the week they'd spent on cars in Muggle Studiesbefore following her motion of putting his seatbelt on. "By the way, Tonks, why are you picking me up today?"

Tonks seemed to pause at the question, something in her eyes, before she said, "Your mom is busy with unpacking. I thought helping was the least I could do."

* * *

"Hello Remus," Charity greeted, a large grin on her face as she swung open the front door.

Remus Lupin smiled, just a tiny bit, back at the woman, "Hello."

"Come in, come in," she gestured, moving out of his way. "I hope you don't mind us telling Harry to call you Uncle Remus outside of school. He seems happy about it."

"That's fine," he agreed. He shifted a box in his hand towards her, "This is for Harry."

"I'll put it under the tree with his others," Charity answered with a nod. "My parents will be here soon so he can open them all together. He got a new pair of Quidditch gloves that he'd been begging us for from us and some other stuff as well."

"I imagine he needed them. Gryffindor's done quite good in the two matches they've had."

Charity's lips twitched, "Don't say that in front of Severus. His son might be a member of the Gryffindor team, but he's still routing for Slytherin."

"I wouldn't imagine anything else from him."

Charity was still laughing when they stepped into the living room. Harry sat on the floor of the room surrounded by packages and wrapping paper. She let out an exasperated sigh when she saw, "Harry, I told you to pick that stuff up."

"Sorry. I was gonna do it once we opened this," he looked up, shaking one of the packages. He stopped when he saw Remus next to her. A wide grin came over his face, "Hi."

"Hello Harry," Remus answered, his own lips turning up. "Did you get anything nice?"

Before Harry could answer, Severus came out of the kitchen calling, "Charity where are the-" He stopped when he saw the other man. He pursed his lips for a minute before nodding at him. "Charity do you know where the letter opener is? We can't get that box open."

"Yeah, I'll go grab it. Have a seat Remus, I'll bring you some tea."

Remus hesitated as the woman walked away before taking a seat on the couch. Immediately, Harry hopped onto the couch with him beginning to explain all the things he had gotten from Charity and Snape for Christmas – everything from the few games for the muggle gaming system they'd gotten him last year to the wizard posters and enchanted items he'd gotten. He listened intently, noticing the way Harry's smile fell just a bit because he hadn't gotten a new broom but perked back up when he started talking about the set of flying dragon figurines still sitting in their box.

He could sense Snape's gaze on them at first before he slipped into the kitchen with Charity.

* * *

"Mother," Draco declared, coming back down the stairs. He'd placed all of his presents in his new bedroom already and changed from his pyjamas into his everyday clothing. "Can I talk to you?"

"Of course darling," she declared. She gestured him into the kitchen, the slick silver and foreign kitchen.

Taking a seat on one of the stools on the other side of the kitchen, he watched her make Christmas lunch (she'd always insisted on Christmas cooking) for a minute before saying, "Will you tell me what's going on? I come back for vacation and you've moved into this new house and I haven't seen Dad at all. He's never on business trips during Christmas. You've always refused to let him do that."

She froze. After a minute she set the knife down on the cutting board and turned towards him.

Narcissa's voice was soft as she leaned against the island opposite him, "Draco, you understand that your father and I weren't very happy together, right?" Draco pursed his lips as he nodded, a greater idea of what was going on beginning to form. "Your father wasn't very good to me and because of that I decided..." She paused before nodding to herself and going on, "I decided to divorce your father."

Despite having seen it coming, something shattered inside Draco.

**E/n**: Heyo ladies and gents! There's not much to say about this chapter but school gets out on the sixth which means more time to write and Emma, my fantastic beta, made me cry a lot while we were flushing out details about Sirius for this book and the fifth. Please remember that after this book we're splitting into a second story so, yeah! That's about all today. I hope you guys have a good time the rest of this week!

_Next Time: A Broomstick, a missing Rat, and an observation. _


	46. Chapter 45: The Christmas Present

**Harry Potter and the Fifth House**

**Chapter 45: The Christmas Present**

With sun streaming through the window Harry sat on his bed, speaking softly to direct the toy man across his floor. He laughed as the toy, given to him by Remus, stumbled into his desk as the other kicked him. The motion shook the pile of books on his desk, things he should have been using to do the small amount of vacation homework he had but had discarded instead.

"Caboose, to your feet," he instructed the downed soldier. He watched, amused and fascinated by the ease with which his voice could control the figurines.

He was about to instruct them to commence another battle when there was a pecking at his window. Jumping up he rushed to it, expecting it to be Hedwig wanting in from her morning flight.

When he looked out the window though, he found a brown owl flying just outside. He blinked at it several times before seeing the large shaped package in its talons. Recognizing the shape, he threw the window open and let in the owl.

As he took the package and fed the owl some of Hedwig's food, he wondered why Snape and Charity hadn't just given him the broomstick with the rest of his presents and why they hadn't used Snape's owl. He let the owl out, closing the window behind it, before setting on his bed and unwrapping it.

"Ah!" he let out a small sound as he examined the broom in front of him.

He ran careful hands across the lines of the stick before his fingers moved over the smooth letters reading Firebolt on the side. Holding it close to his chest, he launched himself off his bed and downstairs where he could hear Charity and Snape banging around in the kitchen. No doubt they were cleaning up after breakfast, having allowed him to go without washing the dishes just this once.

* * *

"What," Blaise growled out, his head smashed against his pillow as Robert stepped out of his room and he pressed the phone to his ear, "could possibly be happening that you think calling me at ten in the fucking morning the day after Christmas is acceptable?"

The other end was quiet for a minute before Draco murmured, "My parents are getting a divorce."

Blaise pushed himself up in his bed, running a hand through his hair, "Fuck. Draco why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know until yesterday," the blonde answered. Blaise could hear Draco shifting in his bed, the springs squeaking as he moved. "I don't even know how to handle this. I mean – It sucks and I fucking hate the way it makes me feel but do I really have a right to complain? Your mother has killed like seven stepfathers and Harry's parents are dead and Neville's will never remember him..."

"Hey hey," Blaise interrupted, "you get to complain. Even if I didn't have an awesome stepdad now and Harry hadn't been adopted by Snape and Charity, you would still get to complain. Your problems aren't any less important than ours." He heard a deep breath before Draco spoke again.

"Blaise what do I do?" The way Draco's voice sounded so much more broken when he spoke, like he was lost in Diagon Alley and on the verge of tears, made Blaise hurt all over.

"Sh, Dray. Sh," Blaise soothed, thinking of what he used to say when they were young and Draco would skin his knees. "Take a few deep breaths. It'll be okay. Your parents may not get back together but that doesn't mean you have to choose between them and if they make you, I'll punch them both in the face for you. Hell, Harry would probably punch them both in the face for you."

There was a choked sob for Draco's end before he said, "Please don't talk about Harry right now."

Blaise's eyes shot up. He wanted to ask about that but instead he settled for, "Okay. Just calm down. Deep breaths." He launched himself off of the bed and out his room, "Just calm down. I'm going to be over there in just a second."

* * *

"Mom! Dad!" Harry screamed, his socks skidding against the kitchen tile as he busted into the room. Charity jumped, splashing dish water up, and squeaking a bit.

Snape, who was sitting at the island speaking to her before Harry come in, let out a chuckle before looking at him, "What is it, Harry?"

Harry hugged the broomstick tightly to his chest, "Thank you so much! I thought you hadn't gotten me a new broomstick but you did and it's a Firebolt! It's fantastic!"

"What?" Charity spun around. She looked between Snape and Harry before saying, "I didn't get you that, honey. Severus...?"

Severus shook his head. Harry watched the exchange before looking down at the present. Confusion settled in his stomach as he murmured, "Then who did? It didn't come with a card so I assumed it was you guys.."

"Harry," Charity said after exchanging a look with Snape, "I don't feel comfortable with you getting presents from strangers. With all that's going on-"

"You mean Sirius Black," Harry interrupted, unable to keep the venom from his voice as he clutched the broomstick.

Snape rose from his chair, "Who told you about him?"

"The conductor on the Knight Bus," Harry answered, the tone of Snape's voice and the way Charity bit her nails making it obvious it was safer thantelling them he had snuck around. "He didn't know who I was and he told me Sirius Black had-" His voice caught. He had never seen Snape this mad, the professor's eyes were filled with anger. "He told me Sirius Black gave Voldemort my parents' address and he had escaped to kill me. Then Mr. Weasley told me not to go seeking out Sirius Black. That I should leave this to the Ministry."

"I am going to kill that man," Snape growled, looking at Charity. "We told the Weasleys not to mention Sirius to him."

"Honey..." Charity murmured and took a step forward. Her hand looked small on his shoulders. It was the first time Harry had seen this type of affection between the two of them despite them living and raising him together. "If he already knew, it was best to warn him about it."

Snape huffed, her hand falling from his back as he straightened. "I'll be in my study."

Harry watched him walk away before murmuring, "Is he...is he mad at me?"

"Of course not," Charity assured, shaking her head when she managed to get her wits back together from his sudden exit. "He's upset because we were trying to keep this from you so that you wouldn't worry about it." She chewed on her lip for a minute before saying, "Harry, normally I wouldn't ask you this but can you please give me your broomstick? When he cools down, I'll have him check it for spells that could hurt you and then give it back if everything is okay."

Harry paused for a second, gripping it tighter before looking up at her, "Fine."

"Thank you dear," Charity answered. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head before taking the item. "Go do something fun then. I don't want you to be moping around because of this."

* * *

Hermione sighed, running a hand through her hair as she looked around the compartment. They were squeezed into the train tightly like always, but with four of the boys laying down asleep it was worse than usual.

"I want to be upset with them for this," Hermione drawled as she flopped onto the floor with Luna, Neville sitting on the seat with Blaise's head in his lap and Draco's feet against his thigh, "but it's been a rough break hasn't it?"

Neville nodded, "I know Blaise and Draco at least haven't been sleeping well. Blaise is worried about Draco and Draco is worrying about his parents."

"Harry's been having nightmares," Luna stated quietly. "He sent me an owl about them once."

Hermione nodded, "He would call me when he got them and we'd talk for a while. Professor Snape had him try a sleeping draught, but apparently it only made them worse. It made him feel...more defenseless to fight Sirius Black is what he said."

"I wish he wouldn't think about fighting Sirius Black at all," Neville sighed. He looked across at Ron, "And what's on Ron's mind?"

"Just his brothers," Luna declared. "I don't live very far from them so I visited a few times and the twins have been insufferable, apparently."

"Thank god that's all it was," Hermione declared. She sighed as she brushed her hair from her face before giving a small smile, "So, how was your break?"

Neville gave a bitter smile, "It was fine. I spent most of it in the hospital with my parents since Blaise was busy."

"You could have sent me an owl and we could have done something to take your mind off of them, Neville," Luna murmured.

Neville shook his head, "It's fine. I can't change what Bellatrix Lestrange did to my parents anymore than Harry can change what Sirius Black did to his."

* * *

**E/n:** Heyo, guys and girls. Happy Fathers Day to any fathers that may read this story, although i think most people who do are teenage girls. Let's play - Spot the Roosterteeth reference in this chapter while we're here.

Uuuh what else lets see, lets see. I'm just gonna warn you, I've got a bit of a downwards spiral planned for Draco. Things are going to get gradually worse before they get better.

_Next Time: A private lesson, the rat ACTUALLY goes missing, and a fight about an unrelated event. _


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